FCB  22  2000 


BX5980.N4  C45  1912  j 

Perkins,  J.  Newton  (Joshua  Newtc 
b.  124Q.  ^   , 

Historv  of  the  Parish  of  the 
xncarnktion.  New  York  City,  185< 


CHURCH  OF  THE  INCARNATION  AND  RECTORY,  1912 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


Partali  of  tl|?  Sttrarnattntt 


NEW  YORK  CITY 


1852-1912 


BY 

J.  NEWTON  PERKINS 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  SENIOR  WARDEN 


FRANK  B.  HOWARD  PRESS 

POUGHKEEPSIE,  N.  Y. 

1912 


Copyright,  1912 
Fbancis  Lynde  Stetson 


THE  CORPORATION.  1912 


RECTOR 
The  Revebend  Howard  Chandler  Robbinb 

WARDENS 
Fbancis  Ltndb  Stetson  Montgomery  H.  Clarkbon 

VESTRYMEN 

Waldeon  p.  Brown  George  F.  Butterworth 

Treasurer  Clerk 

Charles  Lanier  James  McLean 

John  A.  McKim  John  Innis  Kane 

Samuel  Riker,  Jr.  Edward  Severin  Clark 

Gherardi  Davis 


INTRODUCTORY 

THE  Parish  of  the  Incarnation  has  had  an  interest- 
ing, rather  than  an  eventful,  existence.  It  had 
its  beginning  at  a  period  of  ecclesiastical  life 
when  there  was  much  distraction  throughout  the  Church 
in  this  country  as  a  result  of  the  Tractarian  movement 
in  England,  and  the  teachings  of  the  Tubingen  School 
in  Germany.  Religious  life,  moreover,  was  at  a  low  ebb, 
in  a  diocese  without  a  bishop. 

Throughout  its  history,  the  parish  has  maintained  a 
conservative  position,  stedfastly  adhering  to  the  "faith 
once  delivered  to  the  saiats,"  and  holding  staunchly  to 
the  doctrines  of"  Evangelical  truth  and  Apostolic  order." 

For  the  occurrences  of  parish  life  herein  recorded  the 
writer  is  indebted  largely  to  the  co-operation  of  the 
family  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Montgomery,  and  to  Mrs.  Max 
Kellner,  the  widow  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Brooks.  The  rector- 
ates  of  these  two  pastors  have  covered  more  than  half 
the  period  of  the  existence  of  the  parish. 

To  the  Rev.  Dr.  Stewart  Means,  a  personal  friend  of 
the  first  rector;  to  many  members  of  the  present  congre- 
gation; to  the  librarians  both  of  the  General  Theological 
Seminary  and  the  New  York  Historical  Society,  grate- 
ful acknowledgment  is  made  for  valuable  assistance  ren- 
dered. 

In  the  preparation  of  this  history,  initiated  and  sus- 
tained   by    the    senior    warden    of    the  parish,  it   was 

vii 


viii  INTRODUCTORY 

deemed  advisable  not  to  break  the  continuity  of  the 
narrative  by  introducing  therein  the  biography  of  each 
rector,  but  to  place  these  in  another  part  of  the  book. 
Following  the  historical  section  there  will  be  found 
brief  biographical  sketches  of  the  rectors,  and  of  many 
of  the  earlier  vestrymen,  and  also  photographs  of  men 
who  have  been  prominently  associated  with  the  parish 
during  the  past  sixty  years. 

J.    NEWTON  PERKINS. 
New  York,  November,  1912. 


CONTENTS 
PARTI 

CHAPTER  I 

The  Beginning  of  the  Work 

Inception  of  the  mission.  Grace  Church  established.  Moves 
to  Tenth  Street.  Consecration.  Rector's  sermon.  Response  to 
the  appeal.  An  interested  listener.  Committee  appointed  to  or- 
ganize mission.  Site  selected  for  chapel.  Statement  to  the  con- 
gregation. Environment  of  the  chapel.  Madison  Square. 
Union  Square.  Ecclesiastical  neighbors.  Chapel  of  Grace. 
Plan  of  the  interior.  Title  vested  in  Grace  corporation.  Rev.  Ed- 
win Harwood  in  charge  of  the  mission.  Pages  1-& 

CHAPTER  n 

The  Harwood  Period 

1852—1854 

Congregation  desires  independence.  Request  to  Grace  Church. 
Committee  appointed.  Permission  granted.  Incorporation  of  the 
parish  of  the  Incarnation.  Wardens  and  Vestrymen  elected. 
Annual  election.  Honorable  Murray  Hoffman.  Name  selected. 
Reason  therefor  given.  Vestry  organized.  Mr.  Harwood,  rector. 
Committees  appointed.  The  Carey  ordination.  Bishop  Onder- 
donk.  Parish  work  demoralized.  Incarnation  admitted  to  the 
diocese.  Provisional  bishop  elected.  Mr.  HoflFman's  report.  Dele- 
gates to  convention.  Report  of  Mr.  Bradish.  Chapel  leased  from 
Grace.  Parish  organized.  Relationship  between  the  parishes. 
Pews  rented.  Borrowing  money.  Increased  interest  in  the  parish. 
Application  to  Grace  corporation  for  purchase  of  property.  Mr. 
Jay's  resolution.  Mr.  Harwood's  illness.  Goes  to  Europe. 
Death  of  Bishop  Wainwright.  Tribute  of  the  vestry.  First  con- 
firmation. Mr.  Harwood's  return.  Unable  to  continue  the  work. 
His  resignation.  Resolution  of  the  vestry.  Retires  from  the  rec- 
torship.    Rev.  S.  D.  Denison  in  charge.     Rev.  Henry  E.  Mont- 

ix 


X  CONTENTS 

gomery  called  to  the  rectorship.  Testimonial  to  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Denison.  The  Twenty-eighth  Street  church.  Its  vicissitudes. 
Rev.  Mr.  Sabine,  rector.  Withdraws  from  the  church.  Rev.  C. 
C.  Tiffany  elected.  Church  of  the  Atonement.  Important  move- 
ment in  ecclesiastical  affairs.  The  Muhlenberg  memorial.  Names 
of  the  signers.  Object  obtained.  Action  of  House  of  Bishops. 
Rev,  Dr.  Andrews'  tribute  to  Mr.  Harwood.  Dr.  Means'  tribute. 
Dr.  Huntington's  tribute.  Pages  9-25 


CHAPTER  III 

The  Montgomery  Period 
1855—1874 

Accepts  the  rectorship.  Letter  from  Philadelphia  clergymen. 
The  rector  at  work.  Music.  Ordinations.  Confirmations.  Of- 
ferings of  the  people.  Missionary  meeting.  Bishop  Whipple. 
Emnegahbowh.  Missionary  Society.  Contributions.  Interest- 
ing the  children.  First  anniversary  greeting.  Wise  policy. 
Statistics.  Prophecy.  Ladies'  Missionary  Society.  Mrs.  Law- 
rence's protest.  Dorcas  Society.  Desire  to  own  building.  Mr. 
Jay's  resolution.  N.  Y.  Churchman's  comment.  Reply  from 
Grace  Church.  Incarnation  to  Grace.  Offer  by  Grace  vestry. 
Acknowledgment  and  acceptance.  To  enlarge  the  church.  Com- 
mittees appointed.  Work  completed.  Sunday-school  work. 
Superintendents.  Mr.  Tomkins'  letter.  Bishop  Jaggar's  letter. 
The  Sunday-school  festivals.  Mr.  Bradish's  report  to  Grace  ves- 
try. Home  Mission  Board  organized.  First  mission  service. 
Missionaries.  St.  Luke's  Hospital  Association  organized.  Con- 
stitution revised.  Deed  received  from  Grace  Church.  Mission 
chapel.  Site  purchased.  Contributors.  Corner-stone  laid. 
Chapel  completed.  Bequest  of  Mr.  Treadwell  Hustace.  Dr. 
Montgomery  urges  building  a  new  church.  New  features  of  par- 
ochial life.  Project  to  build  postponed.  Incidents  of  the  Civil 
War.  Resignation  of  Mr.  Davenport.  Ordinations.  Prepara- 
tions to  build.  Degree  of  D.D.  conferred.  The  mission  to  organ- 
ize a  parish.  Church  of  the  Reconciliation.  Statement  by  Dr. 
Montgomery.  Various  sites  considered.  Money  subscribed. 
Lot  for  new  church  purchased.  The  July  riots.  Mr.  Judson's 
gift.  Corner-stone  laid.  New  church  described.  Peculiar  choir 
arrangements.  Opening  of  the  church.  Independent  of  aid  from 
Trinity.  Dr.  Montgomery  describes  appearance  of  the  interior. 
Consecration  of  the  church.  Bishop  Bedell's  sermon.  The 
rector's  tribute  to  his  people.  Churches  in  the  vicinity.  Pres- 
ident Lincoln's  death.     Loyalty  and  sympathy  of  the  rector.     Of- 


CONTENTS  jd 

fer  for  the  Twenty-eighth  Street  property.  Free  sittings.  Rec- 
tory lot  purchased.  Tenth  anniversary  sermon.  Contributions 
from  the  parish.  Mr.  Eyre  assumes  mortgage.  Building  a  rec- 
tory proposed.  Letter  of  the  vestry.  Committee  to  consider 
plans.  Makes  report.  Adopted.  New  building  ordered.  Real 
estate  indebtedness.  Protest  of  the  vestry  to  convention.  Re- 
sult of  protest.  Financial  condition  of  the  parish.  Weekly  offer- 
tory. Sheltering  Arms.  Contributions  for  Dr.  Muhlenberg's 
children's  ward.  Sheltering  Arms  bazaar.  Interest  of  the  parish 
therein.  Activity  of  James  E.  Montgomery  and  Woodbury  G. 
Langdon.  Result  of  the  fair.  Dr.  Peters'  statement.  Death 
of  Mr.  Nesbitt.  Church  of  the  Reconciliation.  Resignation  of 
Mr.  Chipman.  Rev.  W.  B.  Morrow.  Other  rectors.  Request 
of  the  Reconciliation  Church.  Rev.  Messrs.  Briggs,  Elliott  and 
Egbert.  Rev.  IVIr.  Widdemer  appointed  missionary.  Church 
of  the  Reconciliation  dissolved.  Origin  of  its  name.  Death  of 
Admiral  Farragut.  Dr.  Montgomery's  address.  Touching  in- 
cident. Monument  to  Admiral  Farragut  in  the  church.  Unveil- 
ing the  monument.  Address  by  the  rector.  Diocesan  Conven- 
tion in  the  church.  Mr.  Riley  A.  Brick.  Letter  to  him  from  the 
trustees.  The  rector  urges  more  work.  Must  finish  the  tower 
and  spire.  Divinity  Students  McKim  and  Estill.  Ladies'  Be- 
nevolent Society.  Western  Relief  Association.  Incarnation 
Church,  Decatur,  Neb.  The  mission  chapel.  New  building  urged. 
Rector's  sermon.  Earnest  appeal.  Thoughts  about  death. 
General  Convention  in  New  York.  Missionary  Bishops  elected. 
Sudden  death  of  the  Rev.  D.  Montgomery.  Funeral  services. 
Pallbearers.  Dr.  Washburn's  address.  Resolutions  of  the  clergy. 
Rev,  Mr.  Elliott's  tribute.  Memorial  service  proposed.  Bishop 
Whipple's  sermon.  Resolutions  of  the  vestry.  Offices  held  by 
the  late  rector.  A  touching  incident.  Patriotism  and  loyalty. 
Pastoral  and  home  life  of  Dr.  Montgomery.  His  summers  at  Tivo- 
li.  Vestry  meeting.  New  rector  elected.  Letter  to  the  Rev. 
Arthur  Brooks.  Pages  26-107 

CHAPTER  IV 

The  Brooks  Period 

1875—1895 

Considering  the  call.  Mr.  Brooks  accepts.  Activities  of  the 
parish.  The  Montgomery  Society.  The  Ladies'  Committee  for 
Foreign  Work.  Memorial  to  Dr.  Montgomery.  Work  at  the 
chapel.  The  Young  Parish  Workers.  New  chapel  proposed.  Of- 
fer of  Mrs.  Zabriskie.  Service  in  Grace  Chapel.  The  enlarged 
chapel.     Dr.  Montgomery's  monument  unveiled.    Mr.  Brooks' 


xii  CONTENTS 

anniversary  sermon.     Debt  of  the  church.    Ladies'  Association. 
Dr.  Hartt.    Parish  house  bought.     Societies  in  the  parish  house. 
Workingmen's  Association.     Burning  of  the  church.     Invitation 
from  Jewish  Temple.    Arrangements  for  services.    Palm  Sunday 
and  Easter.     The  rector's  letter  to  the  congregation.  Rebuilding 
the  church.    Letter  to  St.  George's  vestry.    Sermon  by  the  rector. 
Thanks  to  the  churches.     Mr.  Brooks'  letter  to  the  vestry. 
Services    resumed.     Memorial   windows.     Commodore   Eagle's 
tablet.    Memorials.    Mr.  Widdemer  resigns.     The  Mission  Sun- 
day-school.    Services  at  the  chapel.    Preachers.    Death  of  Mr. 
Gierke.    Death  of  Mr.  Pulling.    Death  of  Dr.  Valentine.     Con- 
secration of  Bishop  Potter.    Mr.  Brooks  at  WiUiams  College. 
Comment  by  the  New  York  Tribune.     Bethlehem  Chapel.     An- 
niversary at  the  mission.     German  services.     Chinese  Sunday- 
school.    Ordination   at  the   Church   of  the   Holy   Communion. 
Decorations  in  the  church.     Parish  Sunday-school.     Chapel  Sun- 
day-school.    The  Advent  Mission.     The  rector  goes  to  Europe. 
Christmas   Festival.     Mr.   Brooks'   letter.     Easter   celebration. 
Whitsunday    celebration.     Girls'   Friendly    Society.     Fresh   Air 
Fimd.    The  Summer  Home.     Gifts  to  the  Summer  Home.     The 
Endowment  Fund.     Ladies'  Missionary  League.     Periodical  Club. 
Music  at  the  church.     Music  at  the  Sunday-school.    Anniversary 
at  the  chapel.    Mrs.  Gates.  Parish  visitors.  Bethlehem  Day  Nur- 
sery.    Mr.  Brooks  as  a  Missioner.     Mr.  Brooks'  letter  to  the  Pa- 
rochial Mission  Society.     Degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity.     Gift  of 
Mrs.  Ijams.     Dr.  Hyde's  gift.    Ordination  in  the  Church.    Build- 
ing of  the  spire.     Request  from  the  Mission  Chapel.     Students 
from  the  Seminary.     Mr.  Stetson  elected  to  Convention.     Mr. 
Norwood's  death.    The  Church  Congress.    Bible  Society  of   Vir- 
ginia.    Music  at  the  chapel.     Children  at  church  service.    Broth- 
erhood  of  St.  Andrews.     Amity  Association.    Barnard  College. 
The  Outlook  tribute  to  Dr.  Brooks.     Bishop  Brooks  at  the  church. 
Memorial  proposed.     Resignation  of  Mr.  Perkins.     Year-Books 
of  the  church.     Gift  of  Mrs.  Hall.     Rabbi  Gotthiel.    Death  of  Mr. 
Davenport.      Death  of  Dr.  Brooks.     Funeral  services.      Resolu- 
tion of  the  vestry.     Tributes  of  sympathy.     Dr.  Huntington's 
tribute.     Election  of  Rev.  Mr.  Grosvenor.     Acceptance.     The 
Sheltering  Arms.     "Arthur  Brooks  Bed"  endowed.        Pages  108-185 

CHAPTER  V 

The  Grosvenor  Period 
1895—1911 

Service  of  institution.     General  Missionary  Society  of  the  par- 
ish.   Brotherhood  of  the  Incarnation.    Memorial  service  to  Dr. 


CONTENTS  xiii 

Brooks.  Change  in  the  music.  Memorial  to  Bishop  Brooks. 
Change  in  date  of  parish  elections.  New  vestry  elected.  The  Dav- 
enport Memorials.  New  parish  house  required.  Death  of  Mr. 
Fosdick.  Unveiling  of  Dr.  Brooks'  tablet.  Tribute  of  Bishop 
Potter.  Sermon  by  Rev.  John  C.  Brooks.  Soldiers'  camp  at 
Mohegan.  Flag  raising.  Diocesan  Convention.  Dr.  Grosvenor  de- 
clines call  to  Trinity  Parish.  Death  of  Col.  Crawford.  The  Beth- 
lehem Day  Nursery.  Arthur  Brooks  Memorial  Cottage.  Memo- 
rial tablets  to  Alfred  Corning  Clark  and  George  W.  Smith.  Tribute 
of  the  vestry.  Death  of  Rev.  Horace  C.  Hooker.  Arthur  Brooks 
Parish  House.  Gift  of  Edward  Severin  Clark.  New  chapel  built. 
Fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  parish.  Laying  corner-stone  of  the  new 
chapel.  Musical  service.  Dr.  Grosvenor's  sermon.  Chapel  of 
the  Nativity.  Memorial  Gifts.  Dedication  of  parish  house. 
Mrs.  Collard's  contribution.  Consecration  of  new  chapel.  Bishop 
Brewster's  sermon.  Bishop  Potter's  sermon.  Constitution  of  the 
Association  for  the  Home  Mission.  The  Summer  Home  a  winter 
health  resort.  The  Arthur  Brooks  Memorial  Library.  Por- 
traits in  the  vestry-room.  Organizations  at  the  chapel.  The  Sun- 
day-school improved.  Death  of  Mr.  Riker.  Gifts  of  Mr.  Mc- 
Lean and  Mr.  Lanier.  The  Woman's  Auxiliary.  Scholarships 
maintained.  The  McAll  Mission.  Societies  at  the  chapel.  The 
Chapel  Leaflet.  Services  at  Skin  and  Cancer  Hospital.  The  Sum- 
mer School.  The  Medical  Department.  The  Amity  Association. 
Resignation  of  Dr.  Grosvenor.  Minute  adopted  by  the  vestry. 
Election  of  Rev.  Mr.  Robbins.  His  letter  of  acceptance.    Pages  186-231 

CHAPTER  VI 

The  Present  Rectorate 

1912 

Rev.  Mr.  Robbins  assumes  charge.  Instituted.  Greeting  to  his 
congregation.  Changes  in  the  staff.  Anticipated  celebration  of 
the  sixtieth  anniversary.  The  Titanic  tragedy.  Celebration 
abandoned.  Sorrowful  services  on  the  anniversary  Sunday.  Ser- 
mon by  the  rector.  Dean  Grosvenor's  sermon.  A  singular  co- 
incidence.   Extract  from  Mr.  Robbins'  sermon.  Page  232 


CONTENTS 

PART  II 

BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES 

Pages 

Rectors 243-253 

Wardens  and  Vestrymen 255-263 

Assistant  Ministers 263-269 

APPENDIX 

Parochial  Acts 271 

Annual  Receipts 272 

Lists  of  Clerks,  Treasurers,  Superintendents,  Organists,  Par- 
ish Visitors,  Parish  Physicians,  Parish  Nurses  and  Sex- 
tons. Delegates  to  Diocesan  Convention.  Delegates  to 
Archdeaconry.  Pew-owners  in  the  Church  at  the  Corner 
of  Twenty-eighth  Street  (1855).  Candidates  for  Holy 
Orders.  Endowment  Funds.  Subscriptions  to  Building 
Fimd  of  the  Church,  1863.  Parishioners  of  the  Church, 
1912. 273-285 


XIV 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Opposite 
Page 


Church  of  the  Incarnation  and  Rectory       .      .    Frontispiece 

The  Rev.  Edwin  Harwood 9 

Church  of  the  Incarnation,  1854 18 

Letter  of  the  Vestry  to  the  Rev.  Henry  E.  Montgomery        .  20 

The  Rev.  Henry  E.  Montgomery 26 

Church  of  the  Incarnation  and  Rectory,  1869 76 

Mural  Tablet,  Admiral  Farragut 88 

Interior  of  the  Church,  1874 90 

The  Rev.  Henry  E.  Montgomery,  D.D.,  1874        ....  98 

The  Rev.  Arthur  Brooks,  1876 108 

Mural  Tablet,  The  Rev.  Dr.  Montgomery 114 

Owen  Memorial  Font 136 

Chapel  of  the  Incarnation  (Church  of  the  Reconciliation)  and 

the  Parish  House,  1882 138 

Interior  of  the  Chapel,  1885 144 

Alfred  Corning  Clark 162 

The  Rev.  Arthur  Brooks,  D.D.,  1895            180 

The  Rev.  William  M.  Grosvenor 186 

Mural  Tablets:  Bishop  Brooks,  Dr.  Arthur  Brooks,  Commo- 
dore Eagle 190 

Summer  Home  and  Arthur  Brooks  Memorial  Cottage,  Lake 

Mohegan,  1896 200 

Chapel  of  the  Nativity 208 

Chapel  of  the  Nativity,  Altar  and  Reredos 210 

The  Arthur  Brooks  Parish  House  and  the  Chapel  of  the  Incar- 
nation     212 

Interior  of  the  Chapel  of  the  Incarnation,  1904      ....  214 

Church  of  the  Incarnation,  1912 224 

The  Very  Reverend  Dean  Grosvenor 230 

The  Rev.  Howard  Chandler  Robbins 232 

The  Rev.  Edwin  Harwood,  D.D 243 

XV 


xvi  ILLUSTRATIONS 

WARDENS  AND  VESTRYMEN  opposite 

Page 

Murray  Hofifinan,  Christopher  S.  Bourne,  John  Davenport, 

WiUiam  C.  Dayton 256 

Samuel  Sparks,  Floyd  W.  Tomkins,  J.  B.  Vandervoort,  George 

F.  Nesbitt 258 

John  Jay,  Samuel  M.  Valentine,  Henry  Eyre,  WilUam  B. 

Gierke 260 

Edgar  M.  Grawford,  George  W.  Smith,  John  L.  Riker,  Wood- 
bury G.  Langdon 262 

Carlisle  Norwood,  Abraham  C,  Pulling,  Herbert  Valentine, 

James  M.  Constable 264 

Francis  L.  Stetson,  Montgomery  H.  Clarkson,  Waldron  P. 

Brown,  James  McLean 266 

Charles  Lanier,  John  A.  McKim,  George  F.  Butterworth,  John 

Innes  Kane •      •  268 

Samuel  Riker,  Jr.,  Gherardi  Davis,  Frederick  E.  Hyde,  Edwin 

H.  Weatherbee 270 

ASSISTANT  MINISTERS 

Tapping  R.  Chipman.  Elliott  Dunham  Tomkins,  William 

Percy  Browne,  Rufus  W.  Clark 272 

Nathaniel  L.   Briggs,   Haslett  McKim,  Jr.,   Robert  W.  B. 

EUiott,  William  T.  Egbert 274 

E.  Soliday  Widdemer,  J.  Newton  Perkins,  Thomas  Frederick 

Davies,  Jr.,  Henry  R.  Wadleigh 276 

Horace  C.  Hooker,  George  Biller,  Jr.,  Philip  Cook,  Edward  M. 

H.  Knapp 278 


PART  I 

History 


CHAPTER  I 
THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  WORK 

THE  parish  of  the  Incarnation,  New  York,  owes  its 
inception  to  the  missionary  zeal  of  the  congre- 
gation of  Grace  Church,  under  the  rectorship  of 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  House  Taylor.  In  order  to  under- 
stand the  relation  between  mother  and  daughter,  it  will 
be  necessary  to  briefly  relate  an  incident  connected 
with  Grace  Church. 

Early  in  the  year  1804  a  few  members  of  Trinity  Par- 
ish purchased  from  a  German  congregation  a  small  frame 
church  building  situated  on  the  corner  of  Broadway  and 
Rector  Street,  south  of  Trinity  Church,  opposite  the 
graveyard.  In  1808  a  separate  parish  was  organized 
called  "Grace,"  under  the  rectorship  of  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Nathaniel  Bowen,  who  was  consecrated  bishop  of  South 
Carolina  in  1818.  Dr.  Taylor  became  rector  in  1834, 
and  died  in  1867. 

Having  occupied  this  building  for  nearly  forty  years 
and  realizing  that  the  population  of  the  city  was  steadily 
moving  northward,  Grace  corporation  s6ld  it  for  $65,000 
in  1845,  and  purchased  ground  as  a  site  for  its  new 
church  at  the  northeast  corner  of  Broadway  and  Tenth 
Street  at  the  point  where  Broadway  takes  a  turn  to  the 
northwest. 

A  Gothic  church  of  stone  was  built  on  this  new  site, 
and  opened  for  divine  service  in  1846.  At  that  period 
Grace  Church  was  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  all  build- 


2  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

ings  in  the  city,  and  was  a  conspicuous  object  at  the  head 
of  the  great  thoroughfare  of  the  metropolis. 

The  solid  brown-stone  spire  of  Trinity  Church  at  the 
southern  end  of  Broadway  and  the  graceful  open-work, 
white  wooden  spire  of  Grace  at  its  northern  end  stood  in 
marked  contrast. 

The  congregation  of  Grace  Church  had  no  sooner 
occupied  its  new  building  than  the  rector  encouraged 
his  people  to  make  provision  for  the  rapidly  increasing 
population  farther  north,  east  of  Union  Square.  This 
attractive  pleasure  ground  had  but  recently  been  opened 
to  the  public.  It  was  enclosed  by  an  ornamental  railing 
on  a  stone  coping,  and  beautified  by  shade  trees  and 
flowers,  making  it  an  attractive  play-ground  for  children, 
and  a  much  frequented  resting  place  during  the  summer 
months  for  dwellers  in  the  vicinity. 

On  the  day  of  consecration  of  the  new  Grace  Church, 
March  7th,  1846,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Taylor  preached;  and, 
having  spoken  of  the  work  of  the  parish  during  forty 
years  past,  said: 

"You  have  indeed  provided  for  yourselves,  and  for  the 
deathless  spirits  of  your  little  ones,  this  place  of  prayer  in 
all  of  its  soothing  and  subduing  associations  of  solemnity 
and  beauty;  and  now  I  have  come  to  persuade  you  to  go 
on  and  provide  for  the  spiritual  and  eternal  wants  of  the 
poor,  whom  God  has  commanded  to  be  always  with  you. 
My  object  is  to  ask  you — (and  I  am  made  bold  by  the 
consideration  that  I  have  never  yet  asked  anything  and 
have  been  refused  by  you),  my  object  is  to  ask  of  you  to 
give  me  the  means  of  building,  and  preparing  for  the 
most  eflBcient  and  the  most  immediate  operation,  Grace 
Church  Chapel,  a  church  in  which  the  Word  and  sacra- 
ments shall  be  administered  according  to  our  forms,  and 


THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  WORK  3 

the  sittings  shall  always  be  free  to  all  who  will  use  them 
for  their  souls'  good.  My  brethren,  how  graceful,  how 
complete,  how  entirely  satisfying  to  the  heart  of  the 
philanthropist  and  the  Christian,  will  be  such  a  con- 
clusion to  this  our  noble  beginning!  Can  anyone  doubt 
as  to  his  duty  in  this  matter,  when  I  tell  him  that  we  are 
at  this  moment  surrounded  by  more  than  two  hundred 
thousand  souls,  who  are  without  any  possible  means  of 
religious  instruction  and  comfort?" 

The  response  to  this  appeal  was  most  liberal,  and  the 
collection,  then  taken,  formed  the  nucleus  of  a  fund  to 
purchase  building  lots  for  the  new  mission  chapel  of 
Grace. 

In  the  congregation  of  Grace  Church  at  this  time  was  a 
young  man  from  Philadelphia,  who  listened  with  interest 
to  the  earnest  appeal  of  Dr.  Taylor,  and  contributed  to  the 
collection,  which  was  appropriated  to  the  building  of  a 
mission  chapel  at  Twenty-eighth  Street  and  Madison 
Avenue.  That  chapel  within  a  few  years  became  the 
Church  of  the  Incarnation,  and  the  young  man  eight 
years  later  was  its  honored  rector,  Henry  E.  Montgomery. 

Dr.  Taylor  subsequently  appointed  from  his  parish- 
ioners a  committee  of  six  to  organize  and  superintend  the 
management  of  this  mission.  On  May  17th,  1850,  this 
committee  met  in  the  rectory  of  Grace  Church,  and  pre- 
pared a  communication  to  the  vestry,  asking  the  corpora- 
tion of  Grace  parish  to  take  title  to  the  land  on  which  a 
small  chapel  had  been  erected  on  the  northwest  corner  of 
Madison  Avenue  and  Twenty-eighth  Street;  "and  to 
hold,  manage  and  dispose  of  the  same  for  the  uses  for 
which  the  chapel  was  designed,  in  such  way  as  in  their 
judgment  they  may  deem  best." 


4     THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Messrs.  Bradish  and  Van  Wagenen,  together  with  the 
rector,  were  appointed  to  confer  with  the  committee  of 
six  relative  to  the  above  petition.  The  Rev.  Henry  M. 
Denison  was  at  that  time  missionary  in  charge  of  the 
Chapel  of  Grace. 

In  June  following,  this  statement  as  to  the  organization 
of  the  mission  was  submitted  to  the  vestry : 

The  undersigned,  a  committee  of  the  friends  and 
founders  of  the  Chapel  of  Grace  in  the  State  of  New 
York,  at  the  request  of  the  Committee  of  the  Vestry 
of  Grace  Church  (lately  appointed  to  confer  with  the 
undersigned  in  relation  to  the  application  made  to 
the  Vestry  to  permit  the  said  chapel  to  be  conveyed 
to  the  corporation  which  they  represented),  take  leave 
to  present  the  following  statement  of  the  origin  and 
objects  of  the  Chapel  of  Grace,  and  of  the  manner  in 
which  it  is  proposed  that  those  objects  shall  be  car- 
ried out. 

Shortly  prior  to  the  consecration  of  Grace  Church 
it  was  suggested  to  the  rector  that  inasmuch  as  some 
ample  provision  was  much  needed  in  the  city  of 
New  York  for  those  of  our  communion  whose  means 
would  not  enable  them  to  incur  the  expense  necessary 
for  their  accommodation  in  most  of  our  churches  it 
became  highly  desirable  that  something  should  be 
done,  in  some  measure,  to  supply  this  want;  and  for 
that  purpose  they  recommended  that  the  members 
of  the  congregation  of  Grace  Church  should,  by 
voluntary  contributions,  raise  a  sum  sufficient  for  the 
purchase  of  a  suitable  site,  and  the  erection  thereon  of 
a  building,  to  be  known  as  the  Chapel  of  Grace;  the 
sittings  in  which  should  be  either  free,  or  if  deemed 
advisable  rented  at  very  moderate  rates;  and  which 
chapel  should  be  devoted  to  the  service  of  Almighty 
God,  according  to  the  doctrines  and  usages  of  the 


THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  WORlS: 

Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the  United  States 
of  America. 

To  this  end  contributions  have  been  received,  now 
amounting  to  the  sura  of  $14,170.  With  these  means 
a  site  for  the  said  chapel,  consisting  of  three  lots  of 
ground  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Madison  Avenue 
and  Twenty-eighth  Street,  has  been  purchased,  and 
a  neat  and  tasteful  building  erected  thereon,  which  is 
now  near  its  completion.  The  sum  still  wanting  to 
complete  the  building  and  supply  it  with  an  organ 
and  the  furniture  suitable  for  its  use,  amounts  to 
about  $6,000. 

It  is  believed  that  the  intentions  of  those  who  have 
thus  contributed  to  this  good  work  will  be  most  effect- 
ually carried  out  and  realized,  if  the  care  and  man- 
agement of  the  chapel  be  entrusted  to  the  vestry  of 
Grace  Church.  This  conviction  has  induced  the 
present  application.  It  is  desired  that  the  chapel  be 
appropriated  to  the  use  of  such  congregation  as  the 
said  vestry  may  deem  proper;  that  such  congrega- 
tion have  the  selection  of  their  own  minister,  sub- 
ject, however,  to  the  approval  of  the  rector,  for  the 
time  being,  of  Grace  Church;  that  the  oflBciating  min- 
ister shall  be  supported,  and  that  all  current  expenses 
incident  to  the  use  of  said  chapel,  and  the  provision 
for  insuring  the  same  and  keeping  it  in  repair,  be  borne 
by  such  congregation;  that  the  sittings  shall  be  free, 
or  rented  only  at  such  moderate  rates  that  the  reve- 
nue arising  therefrom  shall  not  exceed  an  amount 
sufficient  for  the  above  purposes. 


The  undersigned  request  that  the  vestry  will  be 
pleased,  as  early  as  may  be,  to  signify  their  acquies- 
ence  in  this  desire  of  the  friends  and  founders  of  the 
Chapel  of  Grace,  by  allowing  the  title  thereto  and 
this  site  to  be  vested  in  the   corporation  of  Grace 


6  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Church,  in  full  confidence  that  the  design  of  its  foun- 
ders will  thereby  be  most  effectually  carried  out  and 
their  objects  accomplished. 
New  York,  June  4th,  1850. 

(Signed)     David  Austen 

John  David  Wolfe  j 

W.A.Spencer        /-Committee 

H.  D.  Aldrich 

Edward  Jones 
Isaac  A.  Johnson,  Clerk. 

The  site  selected  for  the  chapel  was  in  a  sparsely  set- 
tled district,  a  short  distance  north  of  Madison  Square. 
Where  the  old  Boston  Road  met  the  Bloomingdale  Road 
there  had  lain  for  many  years  a  broad  area  of  waste  land, 
used  successively  as  potter's  field,  a  parade  ground  for 
the  militia  and  a  site  for  the  House  of  Refuge.  During 
the  mayoralty  of  James  Harper,  in  1847,  this  dreary 
region  was  cleared  of  squatters,  the  grounds  beautified 
and  made  into  an  attractive  park,  and  given  the  name  of 
Madison  Square.  In  1852  the  chief  house  in  that 
locality  was  the  little  white  cottage  of  Corporal  Thomp- 
son at  the  corner  of  Broadway  and  Twenty-third  Street. 
The  trend  of  population  was  to  the  north  and  west, 
along  Fifth  Avenue  and  Broadway,  where  the  houses  of 
wealthy  citizens  were  being  built.  The  east  side  of  the 
city,  above  Seventeenth  Street,  had  not  been  fully  built 
up  at  that  time,  although  around  Union  Square  there 
were  a  few  first-class  dwellings.  Farther  east,  on 
Fourth  Avenue,  were  the  tracks  of  the  Harlem  Railroad, 
and  these  together  with  small  underground  streams  of 
water  from  the  surrounding  hills,  made  the  locality 
undesirable  for  residence. 

When  this  Chapel  of  Grace  was  builded,  it  had  for  its 
neighbor  on  the  south  corner  of  Twenty-ninth  Street  a 


THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  WORK  7 

church  belonging  to  the  Presbyterians,  of  which  the 
Rev.  W.  Bannard  was  minister.  In  1863  this  building 
was  purchased  by  the  Rutger  Street  Presbyterian 
Church,  which  at  that  time  was  located  in  Henry  Street. 

St.  Stephen's  Roman  Catholic  Church,  a  small  build- 
ing, was  in  Twenty-eighth  Street,  east  of  Madison 
Avenue.  In  1850  the  Rev.  Dr.  George  H.  Houghton 
built  a  chapel  on  the  north  side  of  Twenty-ninth 
Street,  between  Madison  and  Fifth  Avenues,  which 
gradually  developed  into  the  present  picturesque  Church 
of  the  Transfiguration.  Dr.  Houghton  said  that  "the 
view  was  unbroken  from  Madison  Square  below  to 
Murray  Hill  above;  a  crude  unpromising  outlook,  with 
little  promise  of  what  followed." 

The  chapel  erected  by  Grace  Church  was  Gothic  in 
design,  cruciform  in  shape,  and  built  of  rough  brown 
stone,  with  sand-stone  trimmings;  covering  seventy-four 
feet  on  Madison  Avenue,  and  ninety -five  feet  on  Twenty- 
eighth  Street,  having  a  tower  at  the  south  corner.  The 
finish  of  the  interior  was  in  oak,  with  carved  beams  sup- 
porting the  roof.  There  were  no  galleries  in  the  building, 
but  a  small  choir-loft  was  over  the  entrance  at  the  east 
end.  The  basement,  used  by  the  Sunday-school,  was 
reached  by  a  flight  of  steps  from  Twenty-eighth  Street. 

A  plan  of  the  interior  of  the  church,  furnished  by  a 
former  parishioner,  shows  an  elevated  platform  at  the 
west  end,  upon  which  stood  an  oak  Communion  table 
and  four  chairs,  within  the  space  behind  the  chancel  rail. 
Outside  of  this  rail  was  the  pulpit,  at  the  head  of  the  cen- 
tre aisle;  on  its  left  side  was  the  font,  and  on  the  right  side 
the  reading  desk.  Four  small  lancet  windows  pierced 
the  west  wall,  above  the  Communion  table.  The  nave 
provided    sittings    for    about    four    hundred    persons. 


8  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Stained  glass  windows,  on  the  north  and  south  sides  of 
the  church,  and  one  large  one  at  the  east  end,  afforded 
ample  light.  The  transepts  were  shallow,  and  contained 
only  a  few  pews.  The  vestry  room  was  near  the  north 
transept. 

On  July  2d,  1850,  the  vestry  of  Grace  Church  granted 
the  request  of  its  special  committee,  and  directed  that  the 
title  to  the  property  in  Madison  Avenue  be  vested  in  the 
corporation  of  Grace  Church;  also,  on  motion  of  Mr. 
Austen,  the  sum  of  $6,000  for  the  purpose  of  finishing 
and  completing  the  chapel,  and  paying  outstanding  de- 
mands, was  to  be  obtained  by  a  mortgage  on  the  prop- 
erty. 

On  November  25th,  1850,  the  Rev.  Edwin  Harwood, 
rector  of  St.  James'  Church,  Hamilton  Square,  New 
York,  was  elected  assistant  minister  of  Grace  Church, 
without  salary,  and  to  him  was  committed  the  spirit- 
ual care  of  the  congregation  worshipping  in  the  chapel. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  HARWOOD  PERIOD 

1852-1854 

AS  the  work  continued  to  prosper  under  the  minis- 
trations of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Harwood,  sustained 
financially  by  many  church  people  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, the  congregation  took  steps  to  become  an 
independent  body. 

A  communication  was  therefore  sent  by  them  to  the 
vestry  of  Grace  Church,  asking  whether  it  would  be 
agreeable  to  that  corporation  to  allow  a  separation  of  the 
mission  from  the  mother  church;  and  to  ascertain  upon 
what  terms  they  could  organize  as  a  separate  congrega- 
tion. This  communication  was  referred  to  the  rector  and 
Mr.  Bradish,  as  a  committee  with  power,  to  confer  with 
a  committee  representing  the  mission  congregation. 

The  mission  committee  having  received  permission  to 
form  a  separate  organization,  a  meeting  of  those  wor- 
shipping at  the  chapel  was  held  on  Monday,  April  19th, 
1852,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  new  parish.  The 
following  is  the  certificate  of  incorporation: 

To  all  whom  these  presents  may  concern:  We,  whose 
names  are  affixed  to  this  instrument,  do  hereby  cer- 
tify that  on  the  19th  day  of  April  in  the  year  1852, 
the  male  persons  of  full  age  worshipping  in  the  Chapel 
of  Grace  in  the  City  and  State  of  New  York,  in  which 
congregation  divine  worship  is  celebrated  according 
to  the  rites  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in 


10  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

the  State  of  New  York,  and  not  already  incorporated, 
met  at  the  place  of  worship  aforesaid  for  the  purpose 
of  incorporating  themselves  as  a  religious  society, 
under  the  Act  of  Legislature  of  the  State  of  New 
York,  and  in  pursuance  of  notice  duly  given  to  the 
said  congregation  in  the  time  of  morning  service,  on 
two  Sundays  previous  to  such  meeting,  that  the 
male  persons  of  full  age  belonging  to  said  congre- 
gation would  meet  at  the  time  and  place  aforesaid, 
for  the  purpose  of  incorporating  themselves  and  of 
choosing  two  Church  wardens  and  eight  vestrymen. 
And  we  further  certify  that  the  Rev.  Edwin  Harwood, 
being  officiating  minister  of  said  congregation,  pre- 
sided at  the  said  meeting;  and  we  further  certify  that 
at  the  said  meeting  Murray  Hoffman  and  Christopher 
S.  Bourne  were  duly  elected  Church  wardens  of  said 
congregation  and  church,  and  that  John  Davenport, 
W.  C.  Dayton,  A.  G.  Thorp,  H.  B.  Cook,  C.  H. 
Smith,  Samuel  Sparks,  F.  W.  Tomkins,  and  Joseph 
Tucker  were  duly  elected  vestrymen. 

That  Tuesday  in  Easter  week  was  by  the  said 
meeting  fixed  on  as  the  day  on  which  the  said  offices  of 
Church  warden  and  vestryman  should  annually  there- 
after cease,  and  their  successors  in  office  be  chosen, 
and  that  the  said  meeting  determined  and  declared 
that  the  said  church  and  congregation  should  be 
known  in  law  by  the  name  of  "the  Rector,  Church 
Wardens  and  Vestrymen  of  the  Church  of  the  In- 
carnation of  and  in  the  City  and  County  of  New 
York." 

In  testimony  whereof  we  the  said  Edwin  Har- 
wood who  presided  at  the  election  aforesaid  of 
Wardens  and  Vestrymen,  and  W.  A.  EUery  and 
F.  W.  Tomkins  who  were  present  and  witnessed  the 
proceedings  aforesaid,  have  hereunto  subscribed  our 
names  and  affixed  our  seals  this  19th  day  of  April, 
A.  D.  1852. 


THE  HARWOOD  PERIOD  11 

In  the  presence  of  R.  H.  Bourne  and  Leland 
Crandall. 

The  senior  warden  was  the  eminent  jurist,  Hon.  Mur- 
ray Hoffman,  born  in  New  York,  1791.  In  1839  he  was 
appointed  Assistant  Vice-Chancellor,  which  office  he  held 
for  four  years;  in  1853  he  was  appointed  Judge  of  the 
Superior  Court,  and  held  that  office  eight  years.  Judge 
Hoffman  was  twice  married;  (first)  to  Frances  Amelia, 
daughter  of  Jonathan  Burrall,  Major  in  the  Army  of  the 
Revolution,  and  (secondly)  to  Mary  Murray,  daughter 
of  William  Ogden.  Judge  Hoffman's  writings  are  stand- 
ards of  authority  in  both  civil  and  ecclesiastical  law. 
His  three  books,  "Treatise  on  the  Law  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church,"  "Ecclesiastical  Law  in  the  State  of 
New  York,"  and  "The  Ritual  Law  of  the  Church,"  are 
well  known  in  the  ecclesiastical  world.  He  died  in 
Flushing,  L.  I.,  May  7th,  1878. 

The  name  for  the  new  parish  was  the  happy  selection 
of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Harwood.  On  the  occasion  of  the  semi- 
centennial celebration  of  this  parish  in  1902,  the  Rev.Dr. 
Huntington,  rector  of  Grace  Church,  preached  the  ser- 
mon; and,  alluding  to  the  name  of  the  parish,  said: 

I  wonder  how  they  came  to  call  it  "The  Church  of 
the  Incarnation."  Possibly,  and  I  am  inclined  to  say 
probably,  the  suggestion  originated  with  the  brilliant 
young  scholar  and  theologian,  whom  Dr.  Taylor,  with 
wise  prescience,  had  put  in  charge  of  his  Chapel  of 
Grace.     The  young  man's  name  was  Harwood. 

Dr.  Huntington  then  adds  a  foot-note  to  his  sermon  as 
follows: 

In  prompt  confirmation  of  this  conjecture,  there 
reached  me,  on  the  next  day  after  this  sermon  was 
preached,  the  following  interesting  statement  from 


12  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

one  of  the  congregation,  for  many  years  a  personal 
friend,^  of  Dr.  Harwood:  "You  mentioned  that  you 
did  not  know  how  the  Church  came  to  be  called  'The 
Incarnation,'  and  this  is  really  the  object  of  this  let- 
ter. In  one  of  my  frequent  visits  to  New  Haven,  not 
long  before  his  death,  I  asked  Dr.  Harwood  how  it 
came  to  be  so  called.  He  said  he  gave  it  the  name, 
as  the  parish  had  started  from  Grace  Church,  'for 
by  grace  came  the  Incarnation.'  " 

The  first  meeting  of  the  newly  formed  vestry  was  held 
in  the  basement  of  the  church  on  Saturday,  April  24th, 
1852.  There  were  present  Murray  Hoffman,  Christopher 
S.  Bourne,  W.  C.  Dayton,  A.  G.  Thorp,  H.  B.  Cook,  C.  H. 
Smith,  Samuel  Sparks,  F.  W.  Tomkins,  Joseph  Tucker. 
Mr.  Charles  H.  Smith  was  elected  clerk  of  the  vestry. 

Mr.  Tucker  nominated  the  Rev.  Edwin  Harwood  for 
rector,  which  nomination  the  vestry  unanimously  con- 
firmed, and  Mr.  Bourne  was  appointed  to  notify  the 
rector-elect,  who  soon  appeared  before  the  vestry  and 
signified  his  acceptance. 

When  the  parish  of  the  Incarnation  was  organized 
there  was  a  feeling  of  unrest,  and  of  great  apprehension 
regarding  ecclesiastical  matters  throughout  the  country. 
Party  spirit  was  strong  between  High  and  Low  Church- 
men, and  feeling  became  extremely  bitter. 

The  Carey  ordination  in  1842,  had  aroused  strong 
feelings  of  resentment  against  Bishop  Onderdonk  for 
having  ordained  Mr.  Carey  in  opposition  to  a  public 
protest  from  representatives  of  the  Low  Church  party; 
and  the  community  was  flooded  with  partisan  literature 
calculated  to  embitter  the  controversy.  In  1845  the 
terrible  calamity  of  the  suspension  of  Bishop  Onderdonk 

1  The  same  statement  was  also  made  to  the  writer  by  this  friend 
of  Dr.  Harwood,  Miss  Frances  R.  Irving. 


THE  HARWOOD  PERIOD  13 

from  performing  ecclesiastical  functions,  left  the  diocese 
of  New  York  for  seven  years  without  a  bishop.  Demor- 
alization of  parish  work,  and  its  consequent  baneful  in- 
fluence, became  evident  throughout  the  diocese.  Chari- 
table and  parochial  institutions  of  the  Church  suffered 
greatly,  and  the  City  Mission  Society  was  obliged  to 
close  its  work  on  account  of  the  falling  off  of  collections  in 
its  behalf,  heretofore  received  from  Trinity  and  other 
churches  in  the  city.  During  the  seven  years,  when 
there  was  no  Episcopal  head  to  the  diocese,  only  two 
parishes  were  organized  in  this  city. 

The  parish  of  the  Incarnation  was  admitted  into  union 
with  diocesan  convention  in  September,  1852.  This  was 
a  most  important  meeting  of  the  convention,  for,  after 
having  been  seven  years  without  a  bishop,  the  diocese 
decided  to  proceed  to  the  election  of  a  provisional  bishop, 
who  should  act  in  the  stead  of  Bishop  Onderdonk,  who 
at  the  time  was  under  suspension  from  the  Episcopal 
oflBce.  One  of  the  earliest  duties  of  Mr.  Harwood  as 
rector  of  the  parish  just  admitted  to  convention,  was  to 
sign  the  canonical  testimonial  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  J.  M. 
Wain  Wright  as  Provisional  Bishop  of  the  diocese  of  New 
York. 

Mr.  Murray  Hoffman,  chairman  of  a  committee  of  the 
Incarnation  vestry  which  had  been  appointed  to  confer 
with  the  authorities  of  Grace  parish,  reported,  September 
10th,  1852,  that  the  corporation  of  Grace  Church  would 
give  a  lease  of  its  chapel  building  to  the  Incarnation 
parish,  for  three  years  at  a  nominal  rent. 

At  this  meeting,  the  first  delegates  were  appointed  to 
represent  the  new  parish  in  the  diocesan  convention, 
namely:  Messrs.  Murray  Hoffman,  Christopher  S.  Bourne 


14  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

and  Charles  H.  Smith.  The  rector's  salary  was  fixed  at 
$1,500  per  annum. 

Turning  to  the  records  of  Grace  Church,  we  note  that, 
at  a  meeting  of  its  vestry,  September  27th,  1852,  Mr. 
Luther  Bradish  in  behalf  of  the  committee  (to  whom  had 
been  referred  the  application  of  the  Incarnation  congre- 
gation, worshipping  at  the  Chapel  of  Grace),  reported 
that  the  committee  had  made  an  agreement  to  lease  the 
chapel  for  three  years  to  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation, 
at  a  rental  of  one  dollar  per  year,  with  taxes  and  assess- 
ments and  premium  of  insurance;  whereupon  it  was 
ordered  by  the  vestry  that  the  agreement  be  ratified,  and 
the  clerk  be  authorized  to  execute  a  lease. 

The  new  parish  being  duly  organized,  and  the  act  of 
incorporation  filed,  on  August  11th,  1852,  the  question  of 
finance  had  to  be  seriously  considered.  The  rector's 
salary,  the  music  and  the  ordinary  running  expenses, 
which  had  been  assumed,  must  be  immediately  provided 
for.  These  expenses  had  been  borne  heretofore,  in  a 
large  measure,  by  Grace  Church;  but  when  the  congre- 
gation cast  off  their  dependence  upon  the  mother  church, 
the  burden  became  unexpectedly  heavy,  and  the  treas- 
urer stated  that  the  anticipated  expenses,  other  than 
the  rector's  salary,  would  be  from  $750  to  $1,000  for  the 
year. 

After  considering  ways  and  means  to  meet  these  de- 
mands the  vestry  found  it  necessary  to  appeal  to  the 
authorities  of  Grace  Church  "for  a  continuance  of  some 
allowance  towards  the  expenses  of  the  Church  of  the 
Incarnation;  and  to  inquire  into  the  relation  of  the 
Church  of  the  Incarnation  to  Grace  Church." 

Mr.  Christopher  Bourne  generously  provided  for  the 
emergency  by  placing  to  the  credit  of  the  vestry,  from 


THE  HARWOOD  PERIOD  15 

private  sources,  sufficient  money  to  pay  the  first  quarter's 
salary  of  the  rector. 

At  a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  vestry,  Mr.  Davenport, 
for  the  pew  committee,  reported  that  pews  had  been 
rented  for  six  months  to  the  amount  of  $706.95.  Of  this 
amount  $678.62  had  been  paid  in,  and  church  collections 
had  amounted  to  $176.96.  The  expenses  to  September, 
1852  (six  months),  had  been  $953.32. 

It  further  appearing  that  in  all  probability  there  would 
be  a  deficit  exceeding  $500  at  the  end  of  the  first  year, 
the  vestry  voted  to  increase  the  pew  rents,  and  also  to 
raise  by  loan  from  the  congregation  sufficient  money  to 
meet  the  present  exigencies  of  the  church,  and  to  give 
the  obligation  of  the  corporation  for  all  moneys  so  raised. 
Subsequently  Mr.  Samuel  Sparks  endorsed  the  note  of 
the  corporation  for  $500. 

Steady  progress  continued  to  be  made.  The  congre- 
gation gradually  increased,  and  the  scholarly  sermons  of 
the  young  rector,  and  his  acceptable  parochial  minis- 
trations, continued  to  hold  the  interest  of  the  people,  so 
that  with  enlarged  membership  financial  strength  came 
to  the  parish;  and  an  effort  was  finally  made  to  purchase 
the  building,  and  hold  the  fee  simple  of  the  church 
property. 

Accordingly  at  a  vestry  meeting,  November  3d, 
1853,  Mr.  John  Jay  offered  the  following  resolution,  which 
was  adopted; 

Whereas,  the  vestry  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarna- 
tion are  convinced  that  the  best  interests  of  the  parish 
require  that  the  fee  of  the  church  property  should  be 
permanently  vested  in  them,  instead  of  being  held, 
as  at  present,  by  a  limited  and  uncertain  leasehold 
tenure : 


16  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Resolved:  That  a  committee  of  three  be  appointed 
by  the  rector  to  confer  forthwith  with  the  vestry  of 
Grace  Church  and  respectfully  request  them  to  trans- 
fer the  fee  of  the  church  property  to  this  vestry,  upon 
such  liberal  terms  as  may  be  consistent  with  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  origin  and  organization  of  Grace 
Chapel. 

And  whereas  it  has  been  intimated  to  this  vestry 
that  the  vestry  of  Grace  Church  are  ready  to  give 
a  deed  for  the  chapel  property  to  this  vestry  subject 
to  the  subsisting  mortgage  thereon  of  $6,000 : 

Resolved:  That  if  such  offer  be  made  by  the  vestry 
of  Grace  Church  the  committee  be  instructed  to  ac- 
cept the  same,  and  to  assume  the  payment  of  the 
principal  and  interest  due  and  to  become  due  on  the 
said  mortgage,  and  to  express  to  the  vestry  of  Grace 
Church  the  great  relief  which  will  thereby  be  afford- 
ed to  the  parish  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation, 
and  the  sincere  gratitude  with  which  such  offer  will  be 
received. 

After  a  rectorship  of  two  and  a  half  years  his  people 
viewed  with  alarm  indications  of  failing  health  in  Mr. 
Harwood,  and  they  realized  that  his  literary  labors  and 
faithful  devotion  to  his  pastoral  work  were  breaking  him 
down. 

It  was  with  unfeigned  sorrow  that  members  of  the 
vestry,  present  at  a  meeting  of  that  body  on  March  10th, 
1854,  which  was  held  at  the  residence  of  the  rector,  heard 
from  Mr.  Harwood  the  statement  that  "  in  consequence 
of  an  attack  of  disease  of  the  throat  his  physicians  had 
advised  him  to  cease  preaching,  and  leave  the  country 
for  a  time,  and  that  this  would  be  necessary  for  at  least 
three  and  perhaps  for  six  months." 

Consent  was  immediately  given  to  the  rector  to  relin- 
quish charge  of  the  church  for  six  months.     The  Rev. 


THE  HARWOOD  PERIOD  17 

Heman  Dyer  was  asked  to  oflSciate  in  the  parish  dur- 
ing the  absence  of  Mr.  Harwood.  The  vestry  adjourned 
under  resolution,  to  meet  in  a  body  on  Friday  evening 
at  the  residence  of  the  rector  to  take  leave  of  him,  and  to 
wish  him  God-s^eed  on  his  journey  to  Southern  Europe, 
for  which  country  he  intended  to  sail  on  Saturday, 
March  16th,  1854. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Means,  a  life-long  and  intimate  friend  of 
Mr,  Harwood,  speaks  of  his  embarkation  in  these  words: 
"Loving  friends  gathered  around  him,  proud  to  help  him, 
and  under  the  most  imperative  command  of  his  phy- 
sician he  was  carried  hastily  on  board  ship,  and  sent 
alone  on  a  long  voyage  to  Europe." 

The  Rt.  Rev.  Dr.  Wainwright,  Provisional  Bishop  of 
the  diocese,  died  September  21st,  1854.  The  vestry  of 
the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  in  common  with  other 
parishes  of  the  diocese,  ordered  the  chancel  of  the  church 
to  be  appropriately  draped  in  mourning,  and  also  ex- 
pressed their  sympathy  with  the  widow  and  family  in 
these  words: 

**We  recall  with  affectionate  remembrance  his  self- 
sacrificing  and  indefatigable  labors  in  the  exercise  of  his 
Holy  office,  his  gentle  manners,  his  conciliating  spirit  and 
his  wise  councils  to  the  harmony  and  unity  of  our 
Church." 

The  first  time  that  confirmation  was  administered  in 
the  new  parish  was  on  March  6th,  1853,  and  it  was  also 
the  only  occasion  upon  which  Bishop  Wainwright  offi- 
ciated in  the  Incarnation. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Harwood  sought  in  the  warmer  climate 
of  Italy  and  southern  Europe  the  rest  and  treatment 
necessary  for  his  recovery.  After  having  spent  the 
summer  abroad  he  returned  to  New  York;  but  to  the 


18  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

great  regret  of  himself  and  of  his  many  friends,  his 
physician  advised  him  not  to  resume  pastoral  work  for  the 
present.  Accordingly  he  stated  to  the  vestry,  at  their 
meeting,  September  23d,  1854,  "that  he  would  be  unable 
to  carry  on  the  church  by  himself  for  six  months  to  come, 
and  that  it  would  be  necessary  for  him  to  have  an  assis- 
tant, or  to  resign;  that  it  would  be  a  matter  of  great 
regret  to  him  to  resign;  and  knowing  the  limited  resources 
of  the  parish  he  was  prepared  that  the  vestry  will  take 
that  into  consideration;  but  he  feels  warranted  in  ex- 
pressing the  hope  that  in  six  months  he  will  be  able  to 
resume  the  full  charge;  and  recommends  the  appoint- 
ment of  a  deacon  as  assistant,  at  $500  or  $600  per  annum, 
if  it  should  be  taken  out  of  his  own  salary." 

Evidently  the  vestry  did  not  feel  warranted  in  en- 
gaging an  assistant  minister.  Mr.  Harwood's  condition 
gave  no  prospect  of  immediate  improvement;  and  there- 
fore, he  wrote  to  the  vestry,  tendering  his  resignation, 
as  follows: 

Oyster  Bay,  8th  October,  1854. 
To  the  Vestry  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation, 

New  York, 
Brethren: 

I  beg  leave  hereby  to  oflPer  you  my  resignation  of 
the  rectorship  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation.  I 
am  deprived  by  an  act  of  Providence  from  power  to 
perform  the  duties  of  my  office  and  the  only  course 
open  to  me  is  to  vacate  it.  Rest  assured  I  feel  this 
necessity  painfully.  I  had  hoped  to  pass  many  years 
among  you  laboring  for  your  welfare  with  all  the 
ability  vouchsafed  me  from  on  High.  I  had  hoped  to 
see  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  of  which  you  are 
the  representatives,  flourish  and  become  eminent  for 
the  zeal,  the  activity,  the  enlightened  character  of  its 
members,  but  if  I  shall  be  permitted  to  see  this  re- 


o 

H 


THE  HARWOOD  PERIOD  19 

suit  it  will  be  from  afar,  as  a  spectator  only.  I  shall 
carry  with  me  always  a  grateful  sense  of  the  kind- 
nesses I  have  received  at  your  hands  and  at  the  hands 
of  the  congregation  generally.  I  have  formed  friend- 
ships among  you  which  I  am  sure  will  not  be  broken 
because  I  am  no  longer  your  rector,  nor  you  my 
parishioners.  No  disputes  have  marred  the  har- 
mony of  the  relation  between  us.  My  prayer  is  that 
God  may  guide  and  conduct  your  deliberations  in 
the  choice  of  a  rector,  and  that  the  Power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  may  dwell  in  your  midst. 

Yours  very  sincerely. 


(i^^^/^^     K^/er^r^r-r-^ 


On  motion  of  Mr.  Davenport  the  following  resolution 
was  adopted  at  a  vestry  meeting  October  9th,  1854: 

Resolved:  That  in  accepting  the  resignation 
of  Mr.  Harwood  and  thus  severing  the  intimate  rela- 
tion of  pastor  and  people,  our  heartfelt  wishes  and 
earnest  prayers  for  his  restoration  to  health  and  use- 
fulness will  accompany  him  in  his  retirement,  and  that 
we  shall  ever  look  upon  our  social  relations  with  him 
as  of  the  most  pleasant  character,  and  his  ministry 
among  us  as  evincing  his  superior  ability  in  the  admin- 
istration of  the  clerical  office. 

Mr.  Harwood  accordingly  retired  from  the  rectorship 
of  the  parish  October  31st,  1854. 

The  Rev.  S.  D.  Denison,  foreign  secretary  of  the 
Board  of  Missions,  was  invited  to  take  charge  of  the  par- 
ish until  a  rector  should  be  elected. 

The  vestry  at  a  meeting  January  16th,  1855,  held  in  the 
Superior  Court  room,  unanimously  decided  to  invite  the 
Rev.  Henry  E.  Montgomery,  rector  of  All  Saints'  Church 


20  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

(Moyamensing),  Philadelphia,  to  become  rector  of  the 
Church  of  the  Incarnation  at  a  salary  of  $1,600. 

At  this  meeting,  in  acknowledgment  of  the  services 
of  the  Rev.  S.  D.  Denison,  the  vestry,  by  resolution, 
addressed  to  him  a  letter  expressing  their  high  apprecia- 
tion of  the  services  he  had  rendered  the  parish  during  the 
interregnum  and  regretting  the  severance  of  ties  which 
would  terminate  his  labors  among  them.  In  addition 
to  thus  recording  their  regret,  and  that  of  the  congrega- 
tion, at  Mr.  Denison's  departure,  the  vestry  presented 
him  a  purse  of  $100,  and  placed  at  his  disposal  the  free 
use  of  a  pew  in  the  church,  for  himself  and  family. 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  interesting  to  note  the 
following  fact  with  reference  to  the  little  church  on  the 
corner  of  Twenty-eighth  Street  and  Madison  Avenue 
which  was  the  first  home  of  the  parish  of  the  Incarnation. 
After  that  congregation  had  moved  to  their  new  church 
in  1864,  the  property  at  the  corner  of  Twenty-eighth 
Street  was  sold  to  the  Second  Congregational  Unitarian 
Church.  Three  years  thereafter  it  was  again  sold  to  the 
congregation  of  the  Church  of  the  Atonement  in  Madi- 
son Avenue;  so  that  divine  services  acccording  to  the 
rites  of  our  own  Communion  were  resumed  in  this  build- 
ing. May  14th,  1867,  under  the  Rev.  William  T.  Sabine, 
rector. 

Seven  years  after  this,  on  Sunday,  April  26th,  1874, 
Mr.  Sabine  preached  a  farewell  sermon  to  his  congrega- 
tion, and  then  announced  his  intended  withdrawal  from 
the  communion  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 
Many  of  his  parishioners  left  at  the  same  time;  and 
under  the  lead  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Sabine  assisted  in 
organizing  the  First  Reformed  Episcopal  Church. 

Those  of  the  congregation  of  the  Atonement   who 


'•<.»- Z     t/i-v 


--'f /—   C<-     ^.  i  iCi5.;c'/7^<   (.C/       C 


%:f7ijL-      (^  A_^-«-ct:.  /t       &/  ;/7c-C    J-lyt^C  Cy-^i^  (.   rTTv  -  f-x^    ^\^(oC' 


.C'Z/-- 


LETTER  OE  THE  \ESTRY 
To  the  Rev.  Henry  E.  Montgomery 


THE  HARWOOD  PERIOD  21 

remained  steadfast  immediately  elected  a  new  rector,  the 
Rev.  Charles  C.  Tiffany,  at  that  time  assistant  minister 
in  Trinity  Church,  Boston.  He  accepted  the  invita- 
tion and  assumed  the  rectorship  in  May,  1874. 

It  was  during  the  rectorship  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Sabine 
that  this  little  church  came  into  notoriety,  on  account  of 
the  expression  which  Mr.  Sabine  used,  designating 
the  Church  of  the  Transfiguration  in  Twenty-ninth 
Street  as  "the  little  church  around  the  corner." 

In  the  second  year  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Harwood's  rector- 
ship an  important  movement  took  place  in  the  ec- 
clesiastical world,  in  which  he  was  deeply  interested, 
to  which  he  gave  much  thought  and  labor.  There  were 
many  among  both  clergy  and  laity  who  felt  that  the 
spiritual  life  of  the  Church  needed  purifying  and  deepen- 
ing, and  that  a  broader  spirit  of  charity  and  tolerance 
should  be  exhibited  towards  those  outside  our  communion. 
The  social  and  moral  necessities  of  the  day  were  very 
great,  and  the  Episcopal  Church  did  not  seem  equal  to 
cope  with  the  forces  of  infidelity  and  indifference;  nor  to 
be  able  to  better  the  moral  degradation  of  the  lower 
classes  of  society. 

On  October  18th,  1853,  the  famous  Muhlenberg 
Memorial  addressed  to  the  "Bishops  in  Council,"  was 
presented  at  the  session  of  the  General  Convention  in  the 
city  of  New  York.  This  memorial,  which  bore  the  name 
of  its  originator.  Dr.  Muhlenberg,  was  prepared  under 
his  direction  by  the  Rev.  Edwin  Harwood,  whose  name 
was  signed  to  it  with  those  of  the  Rev.  Alexander  H. 
Vinton,  Henry  Gregory,  G.  T.  Bedell,  M.  A.  De 
Wolfe  Howe,  Samuel  H.  Turner  and  others. 

After  having  referred  to  the  divided  and  distracted 
state  of  American  Protestant  Christianity;  to  the  new 


22  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

and  subtle  forms  of  unbelief  and  the  consolidated  forces 
of  Romanism  bearing  against  the  Protestant  faith;  to 
the  utter  ignorance  of  the  Gospel  among  the  lower 
classes  of  our  population  (making  a  heathen  world  in  our 
very  midst),  the  memorial  proceeded  to  inquire  "whether 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  with  only  her  fixed  and 
invariable  modes  of  public  worship,  and  her  traditional 
customs  and  usages,  is  competent  to  the  work  of  preach- 
ing and  dispensing  the  Gospel  to  all  sorts  and  conditions 
of  men?" 

This  memorial  was  referred  to  a  committee  of  five, 
Bishops  Otey,  Potter,  Burgess,  Williams  and  Wain- 
wright,  to  report  at  the  next  General  Convention. 

In  1856  final  action  was  taken  upon  the  memorial  and 
the  result  was  that,  whereas  heretofore  it  had  been  manda- 
tory that  full  Morning  Prayer,  Litany  and  the  Ante- 
Communion  Service  be  said  each  Sunday  preceding  the 
sermon;  and  that  the  entire  form  of  Evening  Prayer  be 
said  each  Lord's  Day;  permission  was  given  to  use 
the  three  offices  separately,  and  that  on  special  occasions 
ministers  might,  in  their  discretion,  use  such  parts  of 
the  Prayer  Book  and  read  such  lessons  from  Holy 
Scripture  as,  in  their  judgment,  should  tend  most  to  edifi- 
cation. 

This  action  of  the  House  of  Bishops  may  be  regarded 
as  the  initiatory  step  towards  flexibility  in  the  use  of  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer,  now  prevalent;  and  was 
doubtless  the  beginning  of  that  final  enrichment  of  the 
Church's  services,  so  ably  advocated,  and  finally  secured, 
through  the  efforts  of  the  late  Dr.  William  R.  Hunting- 
ton. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  William  G.  Andrews,  writing  of  Dr. 
Harwood  says:  "By  throwing  all  his  own  strength  into 


THE  HARWOOD  PERIOD  23 

the  effort  (namely  the  preparation  of  the  memorial) 
Edwin  Harwood,  who  was  the  last  survivor  of  the  memo- 
rialists of  1853,  had  thrown  himself  unreservedly  into 
the  great  Catholic  movement  of  the  nineteenth  century." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Means  says  of  Mr.  Harwood:  "He  was 
not  only  a  singularly  handsome  man  with  peculiarly  dig- 
nified and  polished  manners,  but  the  intense  intellectual 
ardor  added  attractiveness  to  a  face  of  remarkable 
interest.  It  was  during  these  few  years  in  New  York 
that  he  became  intimately  associated  with  the  Rev.  Dr. 
"William  Augustus  Muhlenberg.  Of  all  the  great  and 
good  men  of  our  communion  I  believe  it  would  be  ac- 
knowledged by  those  who  know,  that  the  greatest  pres- 
byter we  ever  had  was  Dr.  Muhlenberg.  This  was  the 
man  who  chose  Edwin  Harwood  as  his  friend.  Nearly 
thirty  years  his  senior,  he  was  yet  so  won  by  the  high 
enthusiasm,  the  pure  character  and  the  splendid  intellect 
of  the  young  man  that  he  entered  upon  the  most  intimate 
relations  of  friendship  with  him.  He  made  him  share 
in  all  his  thoughts,  aspirations  and  dreams.  He  laid 
burden  upon  his  scholarship,  and  asked  his  co-operation 
in  the  preparation  of  his  paper,  the '  Evangelical  Catholic' 
So  close  was  the  tie  between  them  that  Mr.  Harwood 
was  regarded  as  knowing  more  of  the  mind  and  heart  of 
Dr.  Muhlenberg  than  any  other  man." 

In  closing  a  sermon  preached  in  Grace  Church,  Sunday, 
January  19th,  1902,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Huntington  paid  this 
worthy  tribute  to  the  first  rector  of  the  Incarnation : 

A  week  ago  today,  at  his  home  in  New  Haven,  there 
fell  on  sleep  in  his  eightieth  year,  Edwin  Harwood, 
Doctor  in  Divinity; — one  of  this  Church's  best.  I 
name  him  here  and  now,  not  only  because  he  was 
once  connected  with  this  parish  as  the  first  minister 


24  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

of  Grace  Chapel,  not  only  because  he  was  known  and 
loved  by  some  who  are  here  present,  but  also  because 
his  public  teachings,  through  half  a  century,  were  in 
accord  with  that  view  of  matters  ecclesiastical  and 
religious  which  I  have  today  been  trying  to  set  forth. 
Learned,  sagacious,  far-seeing,  brave,  this  man  in  the 
days  of  his  activity,  was  to  many  of  his  younger 
brethren  a  tower  of  strength.  His  learning — no  one 
questioned;  his  sagacity — how  clearly  was  it  illus- 
trated in  what  he  wrote  and  said;  his  courage — 
who  that  ever  noted  his  bearing  under  the  stress  of 
cruel  sorrows,  or  who  was  befriended  by  him  in  the 
high  places  of  the  field,  when  the  battle  of  debate 
waxed  hot,  could  have  entertained  towards  him  any 
other  feelings  than  those  of  gratitude  and  admiration? 
He  was  not  merely  a  scholar;  he  was  a  scholar  with  a 
conscience,  unwilling  to  teach  or  preach  any  doctrine 
which  he  was  not  also  willing  to  examine,  or,  if  need 
were,  to  re-examine.  As  founder  of  the  Church  Con- 
gress he  showed  his  constructive  power;  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  Connecticut  for  many  terms  in  the 
General  Convention,  he  showed  that  there  was  in 
him  not  a  little  of  the  genius  of  the  statesman  and 
the  ecclesiastic. 

When  his  New  Haven  parishioners  built  him  a  rec- 
tory, Harwood  caused  to  be  inscribed,  on  the  walls  of 
the  study,  two  Latin  mottoes,  one  from  a  classic 
author,  the  other  from  Augustine,  Doctor  of  the 
Church,  and  Saint.  The  purport  of  the  one  sentence 
was  this:  "When  men  agree,  little  things  grow  into 
greatness;  when  they  quarrel  the  greatest  things  fall 
to  ruin."  The  purport  of  the  other  was  this :  "When 
the  authority  of  truth  is  weakened,  even  though  ever 
so  little,  all  things  lapse  into  uncertainty." 

Of  the  intimate  friends  and  associates  of  Edwin  Har- 
wood during  the  few  years  he  lived  in  New  York,  there 
were  two  men  of  noble  character,  leaders  of  the  religious 


THE  HARWOOD  PERIOD  25 

thought  of  the  hour,  both  older  by  many  years  than  the 
young  rector,  who  made  him  their  personal  friend,  by  the 
closest  of  ties.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  to  the  scholarly 
Washburn  and  the  saintly  Muhlenberg  young  Harwood 
was  most  deeply  indebted  for  the  development  of  those 
characteristics  of  head  and  heart  which  made  him  in  his 
maturer  years  the  scholar,  the  theologian  and  the  Godly 
pastor.  He  was  between  thirty  and  thirty-five  years  of 
age  when  he  was  rector  of  the  Incarnation.  He  died 
at  the  age  of  eighty,  a  leader  among  men,  the  originator 
of  the  Church  Congress,  the  rector  of  New  Haven's 
oldest  Episcopal  Church,  the  warm  and  much-loved 
friend  of  Bishop  Williams  and  Phillips  Brooks. 

Such  was  the  character  of  the  first  rector  of  the 
Incarnation,  a  man  strong  in  intellect,  a  scholar  and  a 
theologian.  Upon  another  occasion  Dr.  Huntington 
said  of  him,  "Truth  is  the  foundation  of  every  thing,  and 
Edwin  Harwood  loved  the  truth.  His  distinguishing 
mental  characteristic  was  courage.  Thank  God,  men 
of  the  Incarnation,  that  at  the  head  of  your  roll  of  clergy 
stands  the  name  of  one  so  true,  so  laborious,  so  brave!" 


CHAPTER  III 
THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD 

1855-1874 

THE  invitation  of  the  vestry  of  the  Incarnation  to 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Montgomery  was  promptly 
acknowledged,  by  the  following  letter: 

Philada.  Monday,  Jany.  22d,  1855. 
Gentlemen : 

I  received  on  Saturday,  your  kind  favor  of  the  17th 
inst.,  announcing  to  me  that  I  had  been  elected  Rec- 
tor of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  N.  Y. 

I  accept  the  invitation  as  frankly  as  it  is  tendered; 
— and  I  beg  you  to  receive  the  assurance  of  my  appre- 
ciation of  the  compliment  you  have  extended  to  me. 

I  confess,  that  from  what  I  know  of  city  expenses, 
I  doubt  whether  it  will  be  practicable  for  me  to  keep 
house  on  the  salary  proposed. — But  I  will  come  in 
faith — not  permitting  myself,  for  a  moment,  to  doubt, 
that  the  friends  who  have  called  me  to  minister  unto 
them  in  spiritual  things,  will  take  care  that  all  the  rea- 
sonable temporal  wants  of  my  family  shall  be  supplied. 

If  convenient  to  your  parish,  I  should  desire  in 
consideration  of  parochial  and  domestic  duties  here, 
to  begin  my  pastoral  connection  with  you  on  March 
the  11th  ensuing,  the  second  Sunday  of  the  month. 

I  am,  gentlemen, 

Respectfully  your  friend  and  brother, 

The  Vestry  of  the  Church  y^  <^  A     -z 

of  the  Incarnation,  New  ^^^^^^^yA' ^'^^'^y 
York,  through  r 

Murray  Hoffman  Esq.  Warden 

Chas.  H.  Smith  Esq.  Clerk 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  27 

During  the  few  years  in  which  Mr.  Montgomery  had 
resided  in  Philadelphia  he  had  greatly  endeared  himself 
to  his  parishioners,  and  to  his  brother  clergy.  Upon  his 
departure  to  undertake  parochial  work  in  New  York,  the 
following  letter  was  sent  to  him,  signed  by  prominent 
clergymen  in  that  city. 

St.  Andrew's  Vestry, 
Philad.  Feb.  6,  1855. 
Rev.  H.  E.  Montgomery, 
Rev.  and  Dear  Bra.: 

Having  often  mingled  together,  here,  in  our  suppli- 
cations for  grace,  we  feel  especially  drawn  towards 
you  in  affectionate  sympathy,  in  the  prospect  that 
your  labors  in  our  midst  are  about  to  close.  In  those 
labors  we  have,  in  common  with  our  brethren,  felt 
the  deepest  interest,  and  we  cannot  allow  you  to 
leave  us  for  a  wider  field  of  duty  without  an  expres- 
sion of  those  emotions  which  move  us  so  deeply 
within.  In  your  cordial,  whole-souled  ministry,  we 
believe  you  have  been  largely  blessed  in  leading 
many  to  Christ,  and  in  gathering  around  you  a  con- 
gregation who  know  what  it  is  to  praise  a  faithful 
pastor,  not  for  his  own  sake  only,  but  the  gospel's. 
In  going  hence  you  may  find  a  plain  providence 
calling  you  and  a  wide  field  of  usefulness  before  you, 
but  you  must  not  expect  to  meet  a  stronger  parochial 
tie,  or  brethren  in  the  ministry  more  warmly  at- 
tached. 

We  could  earnestly  have  wished  that  your  warm 
heart  might  long  beat  in  our  midst  and  stimulate  us 
to  more  earnest  faithfulness;  but  if  you  must  leave, 
we  bid  you  God-speed  in  your  new  sphere  of  Christian 
and  ministerial  privilege  and  duty.  Go!  dear 
brother,  in  the  strength  of  that  Saviour  whose  grace 
shall  be  suflScient  for  you;  and  may  He  fill  your 
heart  and  mind  with  large  and  clear  experience  of 
His  Saving  and  Sanctifying  Truth.     May  He  enable 


28  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

you  with  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  with 
power  to  proclaim,  boldly,  in  season  and  out  of 
season,  His  simple,  comforting  and  everlasting  gos- 
pel. It  will  be  our  prayer  that  the  work  of  the  Lord 
may  continue  to  prosper  in  your  hands,  and  that 
many  seals  of  your  ministry  may  be  vouchsafed  to 
you,  laid  up  against  that  day,  when  the  Saviour,  we 
humbly  desire  in  some  measure  to  serve,  shall,  with 
His  own  hands,  place  the  Crown  upon  the  head  of 
His  faithful  servant. 

Affectionately  and  truly 

your  friends  and  brethren 

in  the  Ministry  of  Christ, 

John  A,  Vaughan 
Richd.  Newton 
Jacob  M.  Douglass 
Charles  D.  Cooper 
M.  A.  De Wolfe  Howe 
Edward  Meyer 
F.  S.  Wiley 
J.  Gordon  Maxwell 
Asa  S.  Colton 
George  Lewis  Piatt. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Montgomery,  upon  his  arrival  in  New 
York,  met  not  only  with  a  most  cordial  greeting  from  his 
parishioners  and  many  personal  friends,  but  he  also 
found  the  parish  in  excellent  condition,  owing  to  the 
energetic  labors  of  the  Rev.  S.  D.  Denison,  who  had  been 
in  charge  since  the  retirement  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Harwood. 

Mr.  Montgomery  was  untiring  in  visiting  his  people, 
and  was  especially  interested  in  the  children  and  younger 
people  of  his  flock.  The  demands  of  a  city  parish  at  that 
time  were  not  so  engrossing  as  are  those  of  the  present 
day,  and  the  "  Institutional  Church"  had  not  yet  arisen. 
Mr.  Montgomery  found  time  not  only  to  systematically 
visit  his  parishioners,  but  also  to  take  active  part  in  many 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  29 

of  the  charity  organizations  in  the  city.  He  came  to 
New  York  with  the  prestige  of  success,  and  in  glowing 
enthusiasm  for  his  work.  The  secret  of  his  success  was 
his  intimate  personal  relation  with  each  member  of  the 
flock.  By  the  bedside  of  the  sick  or  in  the  house  of 
mourning,  he  was  the  true  pastor;  his  visits  brought 
consolation  and  peace;  and  on  all  occasions  of  sorrow  or 
of  joy  he  was  the  sympathizing  friend  and  counsellor. 
His  kindly  disposition  and  intellectual  and  genial 
temperament  combined  to  make  his  ministry  an  impor- 
tant element  in  the  religious  work  of  the  broad  and 
important  field  in  which  it  was  exercised. 

The  music  of  the  church  was  necessarily  congregation- 
al, and  save  for  the  salary  of  the  organist  no  appropria- 
tion seems  to  have  been  made  for  singers.  Ladies  and 
gentlemen  of  the  congregation  composed  a  volunteer 
choir,  the  organist  alone  receiving  a  small  compensation. 
In  June,  1855,  the  vestry  entered  into  an  agreement  with 
Dr.  Waite  for  the  sum  of  $550  to  furnish  a  quartette  for 
one  year  to  consist  of  himself  and  three  members  of  his 
family. 

In  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation  on  December  20th, 
1854,  Wednesday  in  Ember  Week,  Bishop  Horatio  Potter 
admitted  to  the  diaconate  Theodore  Irving,  LL.D.,  the 
sermon  being  preached  by  the  Rev.  Pierre  P.  Irving, 
rector  of  Christ  Church,  New  Brighton. 

On  Friday  evening,  June  1st,  1855,  the  bishop  of  the 
diocese  held  confirmation  in  the  church  and  confirmed 
twenty-four  candidates,  this  being  the  first  class  pre- 
sented by  the  rector.  One  of  the  candidates  on  this 
occasion  was  Mr.  Thomas  A.  Jaggar,  who  in  1875  became 
the  first  Bishop  of  Southern  Ohio. 

As  an  instance  of  the  spirit  of  liberal  giving  on  the  part 


30  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

of  the  congregation,  the  following  statement  from  the 
treasurer's  books  shows  the  amount  of  collections  taken 
in  the  church  for  benevolent  objects  independent  of 
parish  expenses.  The  time  covered  by  these  offerings  was 
from  April  16th,  1855,  to  February  of  the  year  following: 

For  Sailors'  Missions $     87. 02 

"    Diocesan  Missions 123 .  30 

"    Norfolk  Sufferers 162.58 

"    Domestic  Missions 69 .  84 

"    Foreign  Missions 287.00 

"    Iowa  Missions 125 .  60 

"    P.  E.  Brotherhood 1 .28 

"    Aged  and  Infirm  Clergymen 104 .  00 

"    Orphan  Home  in  Hammond  Street ....       75 .  40 

"    Domestic  Sewing  Society 64 .  25 

"    Sunday-school 105 .  52 

"    Communion  Offerings 450.61 

Total  $1,707.00 
Yet  liberal  as  these  offerings  were,  for  a  comparatively 
new  congregation,  we  find  that  Mr.  Montgomery  report- 
ed to  Convention  the  year  following  that  his  collections 
for  charitable  and  benevolent  objects  had  amounted 
to  $5,647.97.  As  illustrating  the  growth  of  the  parish, 
and  the  continued  interest  of  the  people  in  all  charitable 
work  endorsed  by  the  rector,  a  further  report,  to  con- 
vention in  1858,  states  that  the  "total  contributions  of 
church  and  chapel  had  amounted  to  $12,600.58": — 
and  in  1859  contributions  reported  for  the  year  were 
$27,025.30. 

The  rector,  in  these  reports,  speaks  enthusiastically 
of  the  parish  work,  and  says,  "The  missionary  meetings 
at  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation  are  continued  once  a 
month,  and  are  attended  by  a  large  number  of  the 
congregation.     The  ladies  of  the  parish  have  given  most 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  31 

important  aid  in  the  employment  of  missionary  sewing 
societies.  The  parish  generally  is  in  a  most  vigorous 
condition." 

Mr.  Montgomery  was  a  warm  and  enthusiastic  sup- 
porter of  general  missionary  work  in  the  Church.  His 
early  experience  in  the  wilds  of  Wisconsin,  and  his  labors 
among  his  Philadelphia  parishioners,  had  imbued  him 
strongly  with  the  spirit  of  his  Master,  "to  preach  the 
gospel  to  every  creature."  Upon  coming  to  New  York 
he  established  the  custom,  which  long  prevailed  in  the 
parish,^  of  having  a  special  missionary  meeting  of  his 
congregation  once  in  each  month,  at  which  gathering 
interesting  accounts  were  given  of  the  work  being  done 
in  the  foreign  and  domestic  field,  and  contributions  were 
received  and  appropriated  to  specified  objects.  Fre- 
quently a  missionary  bishop  was  present  and  addressed 
the  people  concerning  his  own  field  of  work,  and  by 
earnest  words  added  inspiration  and  gave  impetus  to  the 
efiForts  of  the  rector.  At  one  of  these  inspiring  meetings 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Tyng  of  St.  George's  Church  and  Bishop 
Payne  from  Africa  were  the  speakers. 

Upon  other  occasions  addresses  were  made  by  Bishops 
Clarkson,  Randall,  Vail,  Hare,  Lee,  Kip  and  Mcllvaine. 

Bishop  Whipple  was  a  frequent  visitor,  and  a  great 
favorite  with  the  congregation.  With  him,  on  one  of  his 
visits,  was  the  Indian  convert,  J.  J.  Enmegahbowh, 
afterward  the  first  ordained  Indian  deacon,  and  also  with 
them  was  a  little  Indian  girl,  the  first  that  the  children  of 
the  parish  had  ever  seen,  and  she  was  of  course  the  object 
of  greatest  interest. 

We  are  fortunate  to  have  in  Dr.  Montgomery's  Hand- 
writing an  account  of  the  formation  of  the  missionary 
societies  of  the  church.     It  was  his  custom  to  commem- 


32  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

orate  the  anniversary  of  each  important  event  in  the 
parish,  and  on  such  occasions  to  read  to  his  people  a 
report  of  the  past  year's  work. 

He  writes:  "The  Missionary  Society  of  the  Church  of 
the  Incarnation  was  organized  by  the  rector  of  the  parish, 
on  Sunday,  July  15th,  1855,  after  Evening  Prayer  had 
been  said. 

"There  was  no  written  constitution,  as  it  was  held  that 
in  its  younger  days,  especially,  it  would  be  sufficiently 
bound  and  governed  by  the  principle  of  extending  a 
missionary  interest  among  the  younger  people  of  the 
church,  under  the  direction  of  your  pastor.  The 
meetings  were  appointed  to  be  held  monthly,  on  the  third 
Sunday,  after  the  sermon  in  the  afternoon.  They  are 
opened  and  closed  with  prayer  ;  hymns  suitable  for  the 
occasion  are  sung,  and  every  month  some  particular  field 
of  missions  is  dwelt  upon  and  commended  to  the  prayers 
and  offerings  of  the  members.  A  very  good  sized  alms- 
box,  made  with  reference  to  a  large  increase  of  contribu- 
tions in  the  future,  was  prepared,  and  several  texts  of 
Scripture  inscribed  upon  its  side,  appropriate  to  the 
purpose  it  was  to  serve.  This  box  receives,  at  the  close 
of  every  monthly  meeting,  the  offering  of  the  members, 
and  the  contents  are  taken  in  charge  to  be  sent  to  their 
proper  destination  by  the  treasurer. 

"The  sum  total  of  contributions  for  the  year  ($215.99) 
has  been  distributed,  in  larger  or  smaller  sums,  to  the 
repairing  of  the  Indian  Mission  Church,  Dutch  Creek, 
Wisconsin;  to  the  Female  Orphan  Asylum,  Cape  Pal- 
mas,  West  Africa;  to  the  Church  of  Our  Saviour, 
Philadelphia;  to  the  relief  of  the  suffering  orphans  of 
Norfolk  and  Portsmouth;  to  the  Greek  Mission  at 
Athens,    to    the    Rev.    Mr.    Breck's    Ojibwa    Mission, 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  33 

Minnesota  Territory;  for  a  feeble  church  at  Natche- 
toches,  La.;  to  the  Rev.  Thomas  S.  Bacon,  Nashotah 
Mission  House,  Wisconsin.  Three  monthly  collections 
have  been  appropriated  to  the  building  of  St.  Ann's 
Church  for  Deaf  Mutes,  New  York,  which,  with  $145  for 
the  Mohawk  Mission  and  twenty-five  cents  for  Iowa, 
still  remain  in  the  hands  of  the  treasurer. 

"Of  late  the  children  and  young  people  of  the  parish 
have  taken  a  far  more  lively  interest  than  ever  before  in 
the  work  of  Christian  missions.  The  members  of  the 
church,  especially  the  lambs  of  the  flock,  have  realized 
more  deeply  their  individual  responsibility  in  this  divine- 
ly appointed  duty  of  trying  to  make  men  like  Christ,  and 
earth  like  heaven. 

"A  congregation  of  disciples  are  never  so  strong  and 
prosperous  as  when  they  are  'quitting  themselves  like 
men,'  in  their  prayers  and  efforts  and  alms,  for  the 
diffusion  of  the  gospel  of  the  Crucified.  Never  are  they 
so  free  from  internal  dissension  and  domestic  disputes  as 
when  they  are  vigorously  at  work  contributing  their 
several  portions  with  zeal,  and  happiness  to  the  one  great 
work  of  winning  souls  for  Christ. 

"This  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  your  pastor  introduced 
this  plan  of  missionary  work  among  yourselves.  It  was 
to  keep  you,  as  a  parish,  from  standing  still;  from  getting 
into  that  dull,  monotonous  kind  of  piety  which  rests 
satisfied  with  Sunday  services  and  sermons,  and  shuns 
active  work  of  Christ." 

On  November  14th,  1855,  the  rector  invited  the  women 
of  his  congregation  to  meet  for  the  purpose  of  organizing 
a  society,  having  as  its  object  "the  sending  of  necessary 
articles  of  food  and  clothing  to  families  of  worthy  clergy- 
men with  moderate  salaries;    to  assist  students  for  the 


34  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

ministry;  and  to  render  aid  to  aged  and  infirm  widows  of 
clergymen." 

Tiiis  work,  inaugurated  during  the  first  year  of  Mr. 
Montgomery's  rectorship,  has  been  maintained  to  the 
present  day,  so  that  the  "Ladies'  Missionary  Society," 
its  oldest  organization,  is  still  an  important  adjunct  of 
parish  work.  Its  first  directress  was  Mrs.  Effingham 
Lawrence.  Upon  her  decease  Mrs.  I.  T.  Williams,  the 
present  efficient  head,  succeeded  her;  and  it  is  remarka- 
ble that  for  the  space  of  fifty-seven  years  the  society  has 
had  only  two  presiding  officers. 

Mrs.  Lawrence,  who  took  special  interest  in  this  work, 
always  maintained  that  this  society  was  the  model  after 
which  the  "Woman's  Auxiliary  to  the  Board  of  Mis- 
sions" was  patterned,  when  it  was  organized  in  1873. 
When,  many  years  later,  it  was  proposed  that  it  should 
be  called  a  "Committee  on  Work  for  Domestic  Missions" 
she  indignantly  resented  such  a  change  saying,  "What! 
make  the  mother  an  auxiliary  to  the  daughter?" 

In  his  first  anniversary  greeting  to  his  people,  March 
9th,  1856,  the  rector  says,  "I  came  to  a  united  and  peace- 
ful fold,  as  the  successor  of  one  whose  kind  and  genial 
nature  I  had  learned  years  ago  to  esteem  and  appreciate, 
and  today  I  stand  before  you  as  the  pastor  of  an  atten- 
tive and  firmly  knitted  fold,  with  a  prosperity  within  our 
borders,  which  is  at  once  a  cause  of  fervent  gratitude  to 
Heaven,  and  an  incitement  for  new  diligence  and  un- 
wearied zeal  to  distinguish  our  future  course." 

Having  stated  that,  during  the  past  year,  twenty-four 
persons  had  been  confirmed,  thirty-two  children  and 
fifteen  adults  had  been  baptized;  that  there  had  been 
four  marriages  and  one  death  in  the  parish,  the  rector 
speaks  of  the  two  sewing  societies  which  had  been  active 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  35 

during  the  past  winter;  of  the  Sunday-school  and  of  the 
Bible  class;  and  he  gives  this  statement  of  the  contribu- 
tions of  the  parish  for  the  year  just  terminated:  ''there 
has  been  applied  to  parochial  purposes,  the  Sunday- 
school  and  the  poor,  the  sum  of  $556.01;  to  city  missions 
out  of  the  parish,  $424.36;  diocesan  missions  out  of  the 
city,  $389.88;  domestic  missions  out  of  the  diocese, 
$411.77;  foreign  missions  $466.84;  Total  $2,248.86. 
To  this  sum  there  remains  to  be  added  private  contribu- 
tions to  the  Dorcas  Association  of  the  church.  This  will 
make  the  total  amount  of  contributions  between  $2,300 
and  $2,400." 

That  Mr.  Montgomery  was  a  man  of  broad  vision  and 
great  faith,  is  shown  by  the  closing  paragraph  of  this 
address,  in  which  he  says, "I  cannot  see  any  reason  to 
forbid  the  anticipation  that  in  our  time,  with  faithful 
diligence  and  unwearied  zeal  on  the  part  of  pastor  and 
people,  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation  shall  be  second  to 
none  of  all  the  parishes  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  in  the  city,  in  the  strong  conservative  influence 
which  it  exerts  for  Christ's  sake,  and  in  the  blessings 
temporal  and  spiritual  of  pure  and  undefiled  religion, 
which  it  extends  among  young  and  old,  rich  and  poor." 

A  juvenile  Dorcas  Society  was  also  organized  by  Mr. 
Montgomery,  who  states  to  his  congregation:  "It  gives 
me  special  satisfaction  to  mention  the  formation  of  a 
juvenile  society  for  the  clothing  of  the  poorer  children 
of  the  mission  under  the  superintendence  of  some  young 
ladies  of  the  parish." 

It  will  be  borne  in  mind  that  previous  to  the  resigna- 
tion of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Harwood  the  vestry  had  expressed  a 
desire  in  November  to  own  the  church  building,  and  had 
proposed    to    purchase    it    from    Grace    Church.     The 


36  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

proposition  seems  not  to  have  met  with  favor  at  the  time, 
and  no  immediate  reply  was  made  to  the  communica- 
tion from  the  vestry  of  the  Incarnation. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Harwood  was  obliged  in  March  of  the 
year  following  to  take  a  six  months'  rest,  on  account  of 
ill  health;  and  as  the  parish  affairs  would  be  somewhat 
unsettled  during  the  interregnum  no  further  effort  was 
made  to  buy  the  property. 

As,  six  months  later,  the  rector  felt  obliged  to  resign 
his  charge,  consideration  of  other  parish  matters  gave 
way  to  the  important  business  of  securing  a  new  rector. 

When,  however,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Montgomery  assumed 
charge  of  the  parish,  and  had  quickened  the  spiritual  life 
of  the  people,  he  felt  that  the  time  was  a  favorable  one 
for  the  vestry  to  again  move  in  the  matter  of  purchasing 
the  church. 

Mr.  John  Jay,  at  a  vestry  meeting,  November  8,  1855, 
moved  the  following  resolution,  which  was  adopted,  and  a 
copy  thereof  sent  to  the  vestry  of  Grace  Church,  with  the 
request  that  it  be  given  favorable  consideration. 

Whereas,  this  vestry  on  the  thirdday  of  November, 
1853,  passed  certain  resolutions  addressed  to  the 
vestry  of  Grace  Church,  in  reference  to  the  title  to 
the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  to  which  no  definite 
reply  has  been  received;  and  inasmuch  as  it  is  a 
matter  of  importance  to  this  congregation  that  its 
future  position  in  the  matter  should  be  definitely 
ascertained,  therefore, 

Resolved:  That  the  vestry  of  Grace  Church  be 
respectfully  advised  that  while  the  present  slender 
means  of  this  congregation  would  not,  in  their  opin- 
ion, justify  an  immediate  purchase  of  the  church 
edifice  they  now  occupy,  they  are  inclined  to  believe 
that  in  the  course  of  two  or  three  years,  a  purchase 
of  the  same  at  a  moderate  price  might  be  effected; 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  37 

and  that  the  vestry  of  Grace  Church  be  asked  to  take 
the  matter  into  their  early  consideration,  and  in  pur- 
suance of  the  kind  and  liberal  intentions  of  the 
founders  of  Grace  Church  Chapel,  and  in  view  also  of 
the  very  defective  construction  of  the  church  edifice, 
to  name  the  best  terms  upon  which  this  vestry  may 
purchase  the  same,  and  the  longest  time  during 
which  the  said  purchase  may  be  effected. 

Resolved:  That  Messrs.  John  Jay,  Murray  Hoff- 
man, and  John  Davenport  be  a  committee  to  com- 
municate the  said  resolution  to  the  vestry  of  Grace 
Church,  and  to  accompany  it  with  such  further 
explanation  as  they  think  proper. 

Mr.  Jay's  allusion  to  "the  very  defective  construction 
of  the  church  edifice"  recalls  a  comment  made  by  the 
New  York  Churchman,  May  31st,  1858,  which  is  as 
follows : — 

"The  Church  of  the  Incarnation  was  built  some  five 
years  since,  as  a  Chapel  of  Ease  to  Grace  Church  in  this 
city.  The  appearance  of  the  structure  would  suggest 
great  age,  and  the  contrast  is  the  more  glaring  from 
comparison  with  the  substantial  edifices  in  its  vicinity. 
It  must  have  been  originally  very  imperfectly  put  to- 
gether, and  demands  reparation,  if  only  from  the  con- 
sideration that  it  is  God's  House — 'the  place  where  His 
Honour  dwelleth.' " 

Grace  Church  vestry,  on  February  18th,  1856,  passed 
the  following  resolution,  which  was  communicated  to  the 
committee  of  the  Incarnation : 

Resolved:  That  Grace  Church  will  sell  to  the 
Church  of  the  Incarnation  the  church  edifice  and  lots 
on  the  corner  of  Twenty-eighth  Street  and  Madison 
Avenue  for  $20,000,  subject  to  a  mortgage  thereon  of 
$6,000  to  be  assumed  by  the  purchasers  as  a  part  of 
the  consideration;   but  with  the  understanding  that 


38  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

if  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation  shall  desire  to  change 
its  location  the  property  shall  revert  to  this  corpora- 
tion at  the  price  now  to  be  paid  for  it. 

Resolved:  That  if  a  sale  be  not  effected  upon  the 
terms  of  the  foregoing  resolution,  then  the  vestry 
will  let  the  church  edifice  and  grounds  to  the  Church 
of  the  Incarnation  for  one  year  at  a  rent  of  $1,000, 
together  with  the  interest  on  the  mortgage,  and 
premiums  of  insurance. 

The  vestry  of  Grace  Church  appointed  Messrs. 
Luther  Bradish,  John  D.  Wolfe  and  Robert  Ray  a 
committee,  on  their  behalf,  to  confer  with  the  com- 
mittee from  the  Incarnation  for  the  sale  or  letting  of 
Grace  Chapel  edifice  upon  certain  conditions. 

The  reply  to  this  offer  under  date  of  February  23d, 
1856,  stated  that  while  the  vestry  of  the  Incarnation 
"recognized  the  liberality  of  Grace  Church  in  consenting 
to  sell  the  property  at  a  price  not  exceeding  its  origin- 
al cost,  and  less  than  its  present  value,  they  are  con- 
vinced that  the  present  slender  means  of  the  congre- 
gation would  not  justify  an  immediate  purchase  at  the 
price  fixed  upon  it.  The  vestry  therefore  feel  compelled 
to  decline  both  offers  on  the  ground  that  the  accept- 
ance of  either  would  compel  an  increase  in  pew  rents 
and  so  drive  from  the  church  those  for  whose  special 
benefit  it  was  founded,  to  replace  them  by  persons  of 
larger  means,  and  this  vestry  is  not  prepared  to  assume 
so  serious  a  responsibility.  They  ask  to  be  allowed  to 
continue  to  occupy  the  church  on  the  payment  of  interest 
on  the  $6,000  mortgage,  with  liberty  to  purchase  the 
same  at  the  price  named  by  them,  before  the  conclusion 
of  such  term." 

The  joint  committee  held  frequent  meetings  and  was 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  39 

deliberate  in  its  action,  the  interests  of  each  parish  being 
fully  considered, 

Finally  on  June  4th,  1856,  Grace  Church  directed  its 
committee  to  offer  to  sell  to  the  Church  of  the  Incarna- 
tion the  property  in  question  (without  any  restriction 
in  case  of  sale  by  them)  for  the  sum  of  $20,000,  subject 
to  the  mortgage  thereon  of  $6,000,  to  be  paid  by  the 
purchaser;  or  to  rent  them  the  premises  for  one  year  for 
an  annual  rental  of  $1,000,  insurance  and  repairs. 

The  rector  and  vestry  realized  that  no  action  could  be 
kinder,  no  courtesy  more  gracious,  nor  terms  of  sale  more 
advantageous  than  those  which  had  been  offered  them, 
and  in  acknowledgment  of  the  same  the  following  letter 
was  addressed  to  the  vestry  of  Grace  Church : 

New  York  June  24,  1856. 
Gentlemen : 

The  vestry  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation  have 
unanimously  instructed  us  to  transmit,  with  the 
acceptance  of  the  terms  proposed  to  them,  to  the 
vestry  of  Grace  Church,  to  the  Reverend  Rector  of 
the  same,  and  to  the  founders  of  the  trust  in  ques- 
tion, their  strong  appreciation  of  the  wisdom  and 
liberality  which  led  to  the  foundation  of  this  noble 
charity: — and  also,  their  cordial  acknowledgment 
of  the  courtesy  and  kindness  which  have  been  man- 
ifested, on  your  part,  toward  the  congregation  of  the 
Church  of  the  Incarnation. 

With  the  earnest  prayer  that  God,  for  His  dear 
Son's  sake,  may  pour  down  upon  both  you  and  us 
the  abundance  of  His  grace. 

We  are,  gentlemen. 

Your  friends  and  obedt.  servants, 

Henry  E.  Montgomery,  Rector 
John  Davenport,  Warden. 


40  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Negotiations  having  been  completed  for  the  purchase 
of  the  church,  on  terms  already  stated,  the  vestry  de- 
cided to  make  certain  alterations  in  the  building,  since 
the  vigorous  prosecution  of  parish  work  had  naturally 
resulted  in  a  demand  for  larger  seating  capacity. 

A  special  committee  had,  for  some  time  past,  been 
considering  this  matter,  and  the  rector  decided  to  call  a 
meeting  of  the  congregation,  and  lay  before  them  the 
plans  which  the  vestry  had  in  contemplation,  and  ask 
their  co-operation.  Such  meeting  was  held  in  the  church 
on  July  22d,  1856.  The  rector  presided,  and  Mr.  F.  W. 
Tomkins  acted  as  clerk. 

Dr.  Valentine  submitted  plans  for  enlarging  the  church 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  secure  thirty-two  additional  pews. 
He  also  presented  estimates  for  the  work,  from  which  it 
appeared  that  the  expense  of  enlargement  was  not  likely 
to  fall  short  of  $5,000. 

After  some  consultation  as  to  the  advisability  of  under- 
taking the  alterations  at  that  time,  the  following 
resolution  was  offered  by  Mr.  Charles  A.  Tracy,  and 
adopted : 

Resolved:  That  it  is  expedient  to  make  the  altera- 
tions as  submitted  by  the  vestry,  so  soon  as  the 
amount  necessary  to  pay  for  such  alterations  shall  be 
guaranteed  by  subscription  payable  on  the  first  of 
November  next — which  shall  entitle  the  subscribers 
to  the  amount  thereof  in  pews  at  such  estimated 
value  as  the  vestry  may  determine  and  the  congre- 
gation may  approve;   also, 

Resolved:  That  a  committee  of  eight  be  appointed 
on  behalf  of  the  congregation  and  vestry,  to  raise 
such  subscription;  and  that  they  be  requested  to  re- 
port the  completion  thereof  to  the  vestry  as  soon  as 
possible. 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  41 

The  chair  appointed  the  following  gentlemen  on  the 
committee:  Lemuel  Arnold,  Samuel  Arnold,  Charles  A. 
Tracy,  G.  R.  Hendrickson,  Charles  H.  Haswell,  Dr.  S.  M. 
Valentine,  J.  C.  Montgomery,  J.  B.  Vandervoort. 

At  a  vestry  meeting  on  April  17th,  1857,  the  rector  was 
able  to  announce  that  sufficient  subscriptions  and  pledges 
had  been  received  by  the  treasurer  to  warrant  under- 
taking the  improvements  contemplated,  and  a  building 
committee  was  thereupon  appointed  and  empowered 
to  make  contracts  for  increasing  the  capacity  of  the 
church.  This  committee,  consisting  of  Messrs.  Milnor, 
Nesbitt  and  Clarkson,  immediately  entered  upon  the 
work  of  enlargement,  and  on  the  21st  of  November,  1857, 
they  reported  that  the  work  had  been  accomplished  under 
direction  of  Mr.  McNamara,  architect,  at  an  outlay  of 
$3,584.70.  Galleries  had  been  built  in  the  transepts,  by 
which  thirty-two  pews  had  been  added  to  the  present 
seating  capacity  of  the  church,  gas  fixtures  had  been  put 
in,  new  carpets  and  cushions  provided,  the  organ  had 
been  repaired;  and  on  the  outside,  the  church  had  been 
painted,  the  roof  repaired,  and  the  flagging  of  sidewalk 
and  area  relaid. 

Mr.  Montgomery  was  not  only  indefatigable  in  parish 
work  but  he  took  special  interest  in  the  Sunday-school. 
In  this  he  was  aided  by  many  faithful  teachers,  and  the 
work  among  the  young  people  of  the  parish  was  such 
as  to  give  most  hopeful  promise  for  the  future. 

Mr.  John  Davenport  was  one  of  the  early  superintend- 
ents of  the  school  and  upon  his  retirement  Mr.  Philip 
Pritchard  took  charge,  and  after  him  came  Mr.  Henry  A. 
Oakley. 

Among  the  faithful  teachers  at  this  time  were  Miss 
Susan  Hoffman,   who  had  charge  of  the  infant  class, 


42  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Miss  Frances  Hoffman,  Miss  Louise  Cooper,  Miss  Lucy 
Tracy,  Miss  Brownrigg,  Miss  Jarvis,  Mr.  Thomas  A. 
Jaggar,  Miss  Harriet  Duer,  Miss  Alva  Smith  and  Miss 
Davenport,  who  was  also  a  teacher  of  the  infant  class. 

The  congregation  continued  to  increase,  and  the 
children  came  in  such  numbers  that  there  was  not  suita- 
ble accommodation  for  the  school  in  the  basement. 
It  was  therefore  necessary  to  rent  for  its  use  the  first 
floor  of  the  Ferris  Institute  in  the  neighborhood.  After 
six  months  the  vestry  obtained  the  use  of  the  large 
chapel  room  in  the  "  Home  for  the  Friendless"  in  Twenty- 
ninth  Street,  and  the  sessions  of  the  school  continued  to 
be  held  there  for  several  years,  until  the  opening  of  the 
new  church.  The  rector  systematically  catechized  the 
children  "openly  in  the  church"  in  accordance  with  the 
requirement  of  the  rubric. 

The  Rev.  E.  D.  Tomkins, formerly  a  member  of  the  con- 
gregation writes:  "Mr.  Montgomery  was  a  persuasive, 
earnest  preacher.  His  sermons  were  evangelical  as  to 
doctrine,  forceful  and  amply  illustrated  as  to  style,  and 
delivered  with  much  of  what  the  old  writers  call' unction.' 
He  was  a  ready  speaker  and  a  rapid  and  voluminous 
writer.  As  a  boy  in  the  Sunday-school  the  impression 
made  upon  me  is  still  fresh,  of  his  genial,  cordial,  winning 
leadership  in  all  the  various  activities  of  the  parish." 

Bishop  Jaggar  of  Southern  Ohio  pleasantly  alludes  to 
his  connection  with  the  Incarnation  church  during  its 
early  years.  His  father's  family  were  members  of  the 
congregation;  and  he  says,  "I  cannot  recall  dates,  but  it 
must  have  been  about  1855  that  I  was  confirmed  in  the 
little  stone  church  with  a  square  tower,  on  the  corner  of 
Twenty-eighth  Street  and  Madison  Avenue,  under  the 
ministry  of  the  Reverend  Henry  Montgomery.     We  had 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  43 

attended  the  church  under  the  ministry  of  Edwin  Har- 
wood.  It  was  then  I  think  a  chapel  of  Grace  Church. 
Mr.  Montgomery  won  all  hearts  and  stirred  old  and 
young,  by  his  genial  magnetic  personality  and  heart- 
reaching  sermons.  He  was  with  my  family  in  times  of 
great  sorrow,  and  we  cherish  his  memory;  and  especially 
in  my  own  personal  life  do  I  trace  back  the  influences 
which  determined  my  career  to  the  ministry  in  that  dear 
little  church;  not  Wound  the  corner,'  but  'on  the  corner.' 
The  interior  was  of  dark  wood  and  a  sort  of  low-pointed 
Gothic,  very  attractive.  The  Sunday-school  was  large, 
with  some  able  Bible-class  teachers,  and  very  much  alive. 
I  was  not  ordained  there;  my  family  removed  to  Flush- 
ing, and  I  began  to  study  for  the  ministry  there.  Mr. 
Montgomery  was  moving  vigorously  for  the  new  church 
when  we  moved  to  Flushing  about  1857." 

Another  of  his  earlier  parishioners  writes: 

"One  of  the  elements  of  Mr.  Montgomery's  power  for 
good  consisted  in  the  largeness  of  heart  evidenced  in  the 
giving  of  himself  to  the  work  of  Christ  in  never  failing 
cheerful  courtesy  to  his  parishioners,  and  to  the  children 
of  the  parish. 

"Those  who  saw  him,  only  once  standing  in  the  chan- 
cel in  his  surplice,  by  the  great  Christmas-tree,  on  the 
occasion  of  the  joint  annual  celebration  of  church  and 
mission  Sunday-schools,  hugging  an  enormous  bag  of 
toys,  talking  to,  smiling  at,  and  laughing  with  the  many 
big  and  little  children  who  were  crowding  up  in  front  of 
him  to  receive  the  church's  gifts  and  their  rector's 
fatherly  blessing  did  not  longer  need  to  look  for  the 
origin  of  the  prosperity  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation 
during  his  rectorship." 

The  Sunday-school  festivals  were  always  a  source  of 


44  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

joy  both  to  the  children  and  to  the  adults  of  the  parish. 
Especially  were  these  occasions  of  great  happiness  to  Dr. 
Montgomery,  who  participated  in  them  with  all  the 
fervor  of  his  love  for  children.  A  delightful  memory  of 
these  festivals  still  lingers  with  a  few  in  the  parish  who 
were  recipients  of  gifts  in  the  Sunday-school  of  the  Twen- 
ty-eighth Street  church. 

Christmas  and  Easter  have  always  been  made  occa- 
sions of  great  rejoicing  for  the  children.  For  over  half  a 
century  on  these  occasions  the  mission  school  has  come 
from  the  east  side  in  goodly  numbers,  and  joined  the 
parish  school  at  the  church. 

A  brother  of  Dr.  Montgomery  alludes  to  one  of  these 
Christmas  festivities,  "when  hundreds  of  the  parish  and 
mission  children  assembled  to  chant  their  carols  and 
receive  their  gifts  from  the  well-laden  tree;  and  the  bright 
joyous  voice  of  the  pastor  with  his  countenance  suffused 
with  sympathetic  smiles,  and  his  eyes  kindled  with  rap- 
ture over  the  happiness  of  the  little  flock  before  him 
made  an  annual  scene  which  can  never  be  forgotten  by 
old  or  young." 

The  final  record  with  reference  to  the  purchase  of  the 
church  property  is  found  in  the  vestry  proceedings  of 
Grace  parish,  on  November  28th,  1856.  Mr.  Brad- 
ish,  on  behalf  of  the  committee  charged  with  the 
negotiations  for  the  selling  or  letting  of  the  church,  re- 
ported that  an  agreement  had  been  made  with  the  com- 
mittee appointed  by  the  vestry  of  the  Incarnation  for 
purchase  and  sale  of  the  premises,  upon  the  terms  author- 
ized by  the  vestry  of  Grace  Church  at  their  meeting  on 
June  4th;  and  that  a  contract  to  that  effect  had  been  duly 
signed  by  the  respective  committees.  The  treasurer 
reported  that  the  interest  on  the  balance  of  the  purchase 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  45 

money  over  and  above  the  amount  of  the  mortgage  up  to 
the  first  day  of  November  next  had  been  paid  to  him. 

In  1857  the  bishop  confirmed  a  class  of  forty-one  per- 
sons, and  the  year  following,  on  Ascension  Day,  the  rector 
presented  one  hundred  and  eight  candidates,  forty-four 
of  them  being  the  first  fruits  of  the  mission  chapel. 

Having  thoroughly  organized  his  parish  societies  and 
awakened  in  old  and  young  a  desire  to  labor  for  the  wel- 
fare of  their  brethren,  the  rector  inaugurated  a  plan  for 
the  prosecution  of  mission  work  on  the  east  side  of  the 
city.  He  believed  that  a  work,  organized  and  conducted 
by  interested  laymen  among  his  parishioners,  would 
appeal  strongly  to  those  inclined  to  contribute  to  its 
support,  especially  as  such  work  would  be  under  the 
supervision  of  their  rector. 

An  organization,  happily  efiPected  in  the  third  year  of 
his  rectorship,  has  been  continued  most  successfully  to 
the  present  time.  The  initial  steps  were  taken  February 
24th,  1858,  when  a  number  of  gentlemen  connected  with 
the  parish  of  the  Incarnation  assembled  at  the  residence 
of  the  rector  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  an  association 
to  aid  in  the  promotion  of  the  mission  connected  with 
the  parish,  for  the  spiritual  improvement  of  the  popula- 
tion adjacent  thereto. 

An  organization  was  formed  under  the  name  of  the 
"Association  for  the  Home  Mission  of  the  Church  of  the 
Incarnation." 

The  object  of  the  movement  was  to  provide  for  the 
spiritual  wants  of  the  population  in  the  district  of  the 
City  of  New  York,  adjacent  to  the  parish  of  the  Incarna- 
tion, between  Twenty-sixth  and  Thirty-second  Streets, 
inclusive;  and  between  Fourth  Avenue  and  the  East 
River,  "by  the  establishment  of  a  missionary  station  or 


46  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

stations;  the  employment  of  a  missionary  and  other 
agents,  and  by  the  erection,  when  deemed  expedient,  of  a 
mission  chapel." 

The  missionary  or  other  agents  of  the  association  were 
to  be  nominated  to  the  board  of  managers  by  the  rector; 
and  in  all  matters  pertaining  to  their  spiritual  duties  they 
were  to  be  under  his  control. 

The  following  named  gentlemen  composed  the  first 
board  of  managers:  John  Davenport,  Charles  E.  Milnor, 
Samuel  M.  Valentine,  Louis  F.  Therasson,  George  F. 
Nesbitt,  Lewis  S.  Thomas,  Floyd  W.  Tomkins,  John  C. 
Winans,  Henry  Eyre,  Henry  P.  Jenkins,  John  C.  Mont- 
gomery, Charles  F.  Alvord,  William  Tracy,  Charles 
DeLuze,  William  Hegeman,  John  W.  Harper,  William 
Hustace,  E.  Montague  Travers,  Charles  Ely,  Frederick 
Ogden,  Lemuel  Arnold,  Philip  Pritchard,  David  Clarkson, 
Jr.,  Edmund  F.  Cook. 

A  room  at  No.  444  Second  Avenue,  near  Twenty-eighth 
Street,  was  used  as  a  temporary  chapel,  in  which  for  the 
space  of  two  years,  religious  services  were  regularly  held. 

On  the  evening  of  Septuagesima  Sunday,  January  31st, 
1858,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Montgomery  inaugurated  the  mission 
work  by  holding  divine  service  in  this  room,  and  preach- 
ing; after  which  he  welcomed  personally  all  who  were 
present,  and  introduced  to  them  their  appointed  pastor. 

The  Rev.  Matthias  E.  Willing  was  appointed  mission- 
ary at  a  salary  of  $600,  and  was  elected  by  the  vestry  an 
assistant  minister  of  the  parish,  in  order  to  give  him  a  seat 
in  the  diocesan  convention.  Upon  his  retirement  from 
the  work  in  1860,  he  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Tapping 
R.  Chipman. 

On  the  evening  of  Wednesday,  April  6th,  1859,  a 
special  service  was  held  in  the  church;    and  after  the 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  47 

rector  had  read  Evening  Prayer  an  address  was  made  by 
the  Rev.  Dr.  William  A.  Muhlenberg,  upon  the  history, 
present  condition  and  usefulness  of  St.  Luke's  Hospital. 
The  rector  says:  "My  esteemed  friend,  Dr.  Chauncey, 
so  completely  identified  with  the  active  work  of  our  whole 
church  lent  his  aid  and  countenance  to  the  occasion." 
After  service  an  organization  of  the  men  of  the  parish  was 
effected  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  in  the  hospital  work 
which  Dr.  Muhlenberg  had  inaugurated,  and  had  just 
explained.  His  purpose  was  to  establish  a  hospital, 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church, 
where  the  worthy  poor  should  have  the  best  medical 
attendance,  gratuitously.  To  aid  in  this  plan.  Dr. 
Muhlenberg  had  encouraged  the  organization  of  a 
society  of  laymen  in  each  city  parish,  to  whom  the 
hospital  authorities  could  look  for  financial  aid  annually, 
and  through  whose  contributions  a  number  of  free  beds 
should  be  established  and  sustained. 

Accordingly,  at  the  request  of  the  rector,  those  present 
organized  the  "St.  Luke's  Hospital  Association  of  the 
Church  of  the  Incarnation,"  with  the  rector  as  president, 
ex  officio,  Mr.  John  H.  Earle,  vice-president,  Mr. 
Philip  Pritchard,  secretary,  and  Mr.  James  W.  Blatch- 
ford,  treasurer.  Ladies  of  the  congregation,  who  were 
elected  to  membership,  served  on  the  beneficiary,  visiting 
and  finance  committees. 

The  object  of  the  society  was  declared  to  be: 

The  relief  of  the  sick  and  needy  poor,  by  obtaining 
for  them,  at  the  charge  of  the  Association,  admittance 
to  St.  Luke's  Hospital;  by  caring  for  their  spiritual 
and  bodily  wants,  so  far  as  practicable,  when  within 
the  walls  of  that  institution;  and  by  extending  to 
them  advice  and  assistance  when  discharged  as  con- 
valescent. 


48  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

The  first  bed  in  the  hospital  under  this  resolution  was 
established  by  the  rector  to  be  sustained  out  of  the 
Communion  alms;  and  the  collection  taken  on  Easter 
Day  following  formed  the  nucleus  of  the  sustentation 
fund.  Beds  in  St.  Luke's  Hospital  were  to  be  maintained 
by  this  association,  at  a  cost  of  forty  dollars  a  year;  the 
occupants  thereof  to  be  designated  by  its  beneficiary 
committee. 

During  the  first  year  of  its  existence,  the  association 
sustained  five  beds  at  an  outlay  of  $200,  and  in  addition 
paid  $916  for  the  board  of  other  patients;  and  also  pro- 
vided for  the  burial  of  four  of  its  beneficiaries ;  at  a  total 
expense  of  about  $1,250. 

This  was  the  third  of  similar  city  parish  organizations 
formed  to  aid  that  noble  charity  (the  two  others  being  in 
the  Church  of  the  Holy  Communion  and  St.  George's); 
and  it  is  the  one  which  has  longest  survived.  Other 
churches  in  and  outside  of  the  city  also  organized  a  "St. 
Luke's  Hospital  Association." 

The  constitution  of  the  association  was  revised  in  1878 
and  broader  scope  given  for  its  work,  so  that  its  members 
were  empowered  to  obtain  admission  for  the  sick  of  the 
parish  "to  St.  Luke's  and  other  hospitals,  or  to  care  for 
them  in  their  own  homes,"  and  in  general  "to  provide  for 
their  spiritual  and  bodily  wants  as  far  as  possible." 

Although  the  vestry  had  accepted  an  offer  made  by 
Grace  Church  in  1856  to  sell  to  them  the  Twenty-eighth 
Street  church  property,  yet  three  years  elapsed  before 
the  parish  was  able  to  make  full  payment,  and  consum- 
mate the  purchase.  Within  that  period  the  vestry  had 
paid  on  account  $14,000  in  cash,  and  had  assumed  a 
mortgage  of  $6,000  held  by  the  Astor  Library.  A  final 
payment  having  been  made  after  Easter,  1859,  the  deed 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  49 

from  the  corporation  of  Grace  Church  was  executed  and 
delivered  to  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  bearing  date 
May  10th,  1859. 

The  mission  work  had  so  greatly  prospered  under  the 
pastoral  care  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Chipman  that  it  became 
absolutely  essential  to  secure  a  site  for  a  permanent 
chapel.  Three  lots  on  the  south  side  of  Thirty-first 
Street  near  Second  Avenue  were  offered  for  sale  and  the 
vestry  purchased  them  for  the  sum  of  $7,200.  A  com- 
mittee of  the  mission  board  was  appointed  to  proceed  at 
once  to  build  a  suitable  chapel. 

The  building  of  a  chapel  for  the  mission  work  of  the 
parish  naturally  aroused  great  interest  among  the  people. 
Mr.  Charles  Jerome  Hopkins,  who  was  the  eflScient 
organist  of  the  church,  contributed  $370  towards  the 
enterprise,  the  proceeds  of  a  concert  conducted  by  him; 
the  ladies  by  two  fairs  raised  $1,300,  and  Mr.  John  H. 
Earle,  according  to  agreement,  sent  his  cheque  for 
$685,  "being  an  amount  equivalent  to  the  contribu- 
tion of  the  Sunday-school  for  1859." 

Plans  submitted  by  Mr.  Welch  for  a  modest  building, 
at  a  cost  of  $3,750  were  accepted;  and  the  corner-stone 
of  the  proposed  chapel  was  laid  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Taylor 
on  the  afternoon  of  Wednesday,  February  27th,  1861. 

The  Church  Journal  gives  the  following  account  of  this 
interesting  ceremony: 

"At  half -past  three  o'clock  the  procession  arrived  at  the 
spot,  headed  by  the  Rev.  Drs.  Taylor  and  Chauncey,  and 
the  Rev.  Messrs.  Montgomery  and  Chipman.  Dr. 
Taylor  briefly  addressed  the  large  assemblage,  giving  a 
little  history  of  the  church  of  which  this  was  to  be  the 
mission  chapel,  and  showing  the  peculiar  and  interesting 
relationship  in  which  it  stood  to  Grace  Church  as  its 


50  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

grandchild,  metaphorically  speaking.  The  Rev.  Doctor 
traced  the  mysterious  workings  of  the  Almighty  in  the 
history  of  the  Incarnation  Church,  which  itself  used  to  be 
a  mission  chapel  of  Grace,  but  which  had  for  over  four 
years  stood  an  independent  and  flourishing  parish,  and 
these  present  ceremonies  were  for  the  celebration  of  the 
laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  the  mission  chapel  of  a 
former  mission  chapel.  In  the  course  of  his  remarks  Dr. 
Taylor  expatiated  upon  the  position  of  New  York  as  the 
first  and  grandest  missionary  field  in  the  country,  as  well 
as  upon  the  influence  she  exerts  throughout  the  nation 
commercially  and  politically,  drawing  from  thence  the 
inference  that  her  religious  influence  might  be  so  much 
greater  than  it  is  at  present,  were  the  home  missionary 
responsibility  of  her  clergy  and  professing  Christians 
more  keenly  felt.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Montgomery  made  a 
statement  of  the  relation  of  the  parish  to  the  mission,  and 
spoke  in  detail  regarding  the  special  purposes  for  which 
the  chapel  was  designed.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Chipman  read 
a  list  of  the  contents  of  the  box  to  be  placed  in  the  corner- 
stone, among  which  were  copies  of  the  Bible  and  Book  of 
Common  Prayer,  the  names  of  the  President,  Governor, 
and  Mayor,  as  well  as  of  the  oflBcers  of  the  Church,  copies 
of  the  Church  Journal  and  Protestant  Churchman,  and  a 
piece  of  the  coffin  of  George  Washington.  The  Rev. 
Dr.  Taylor,  rector  of  Grace  Church,  at  the  request  of  the 
Bishop,  then  laid  the  corner  stone  of  the  *  Chapel  of  the 
Incarnation.'  Ten  years  before  this  Dr.  Taylor  had  laid 
the  corner  stone  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation.  The 
Rev.  Dr.  Chauncey  read  a  prayer,  and  after  singing,  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Taylor  pronounced  the  Benediction." 

The  building  was  completed  within  three  months,  and 
the  rector,  with  the  Rev.  Dr.  Chauncey  and  the  Rev. 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  51 

Mr.  Chipman,  held  the  first  service  within  its  walls  on 
Friday  evening,  May  3d,  1861. 

That  the  rector  gave  special  attention  to  the  training  of 
the  young  is  evidenced  by  a  statement  in  his  sermon,  in 
1860,  that  each  confirmation  class  had  successively 
furnished  a  candidate  for  the  ministry.  At  this  time  also 
two  divinity  students  were  being  educated  by  the  con- 
gregation. 

Mr.  E.  Tread  well  Hustace  was  one  such  young  man 
who  was  looking  forward  to  Holy  Orders.  He  was  a  son 
of  Mr.  William  Hustace,  one  of  the  oldest  parishioners, 
and  a  member  of  the  home  mission  board.  Young 
Hustace  was  a  pupil  in  the  Sunday-school  and  was  con- 
firmed in  the  church  in  the  spring  of  1859.  Soon  there- 
after he  was  taken  ill,  and  died  in  December  of  that  year, 
at  the  age  of  seventeen.  His  interest  in  church  work  was 
evidenced  by  a  legacy  of  $1,235,  which  he  bequeathed 
for  the  new  mission  chapel.  The  rector  thus  alludes  to 
him  in  a  sermon:  "As  if  to  continue  the  good  example  set 
by  former  confirmation  classes  in  the  parish,  which  have 
furnished  respectively  at  least  one  candidate  for  Holy 
Orders,  our  last  group  supplied  one  of  its  number  for  this 
noble  work.  It  pleased  an  all-wise  Providence,  however, 
to  remove  him  to  another  sphere  of  employment,  and  he 
who  had  set  his  heart  upon  the  work  of  the  ministry  on 
earth,  is  now  engaged,  as  we  humbly  trust  and  believe, 
in  the  daily  service  of  the  celestial  temple." 

In  appreciation  of  young  Hustace's  interest  in  the 
mission  chapel  and  in  acknowledgment  of  his  legacy 
towards  its  support,  the  rector,  by  request,  addressed  the 
following  letter  to  his  father: 


52  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

New  York,  March  12tli,  1860. 
My  Dear  Sir: 

At  a  recent  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of 
the  Home  Mission  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation  I 
was  unanimously  requested  by  the  Board  as  its  Pres- 
ident to  express  to  you  our  profound  sense  of  grati- 
tude for  the  bequest  in  our  favor  by  your  excellent 
son,  Mr.  E.  Tread  well  Hustace. 

As  this  is  one  of  the  first  benefactions  of  the  kind 
which  the  Association  has  received  and  is  so  con- 
siderable in  amount  as  materially  to  further  the 
prosecution  of  our  missionary  designs  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, the  Board  deem  it  eminently  deserving 
of  special  acknowledgment,  not  only  as  a  great  aid 
to  their  work,  but  in  the  light  of  an  example  worthy 
of  being  followed. 

The  appropriation  made  by  your  beloved  son  alike 
evinces  his  discrimination  in  the  choice  of  an  excellent 
object  of  his  bounty,  and  his  practical  recognition 
of  the  claims  of  the  everlasting  gospel,  and  the  com- 
mands of  its  divine  Author. 

I  am,  Very  truly  your  friend  and  pastor, 

(Signed)  HENRY  E.  MONTGOMERY. 

Mr.  Montgomery  did  not  fail  to  keep  some  project  of 
work  before  his  people.  The  new  mission  chapel,  as  we 
have  seen,  was  built  and  opened  for  service  in  1861.  In  a 
sermon  that  same  year  the  rector  says:  "There  is  one 
work  which  I  consider  evidently  essential  to  the  perma- 
nent prosperity  and  usefulness  of  this  parish.  We 
absolutely  require  for  this  vigorous  and  increasing  parish 
a  new  and  larger  church  edifice.  We  have  already  pro- 
vided for  the  wants  of  those  for  whom  this  building  was 
originally  designed,  by  the  erection  of  a  mission  chapel. 
It  was  long  in  my  heart  to  do  this,  ere  I  built  a  house  of 
God  for  ourselves. 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  53 

"If  you  can  provide  so  easily  a  chapel  for  others,  you 
can  certainly  construct  a  temple  for  yourselves.  I  would 
recommend  no  costly  or  extravagant  pile,  but  a  neat  and 
commodious  church,  to  accommodate  such  a  number  of 
worshippers  as  will  not  be  too  large  for  pastoral  over- 
sight, and  to  be  begun,  continued  and  completed  with  the 
prudence  that  I  may  safely  claim  as  the  character  of  our 
parochial  operations  in  the  past  years.  Such  a  building 
should  be,  I  think,  not  very  far  from  our  present  site 
(with  a  Sunday-school  and  lecture  room  attached),  and 
no  one  can  doubt  that  it  would  be  immediately  filled. 
I  would  earnestly  commend  it,  especially  as  my  faithful 
coadjutors,  the  wardens  and  vestrymen,  have  already 
unanimously  approved  the  measure,  as  alike  due  to  the 
parish  and  to  its  pastor.  The  only  question  is,  when  to 
begin? 

"When  I  survey  this  congregation,  and  consider  the 
cordial  unity  that  prevails  among  you,  and  take  into 
account  the  means  which  we  have  in  our  midst,  and  the 
additional  substance  which  the  proposed  step  would 
introduce  to  us;  when  I  reflect,  moreover,  that  the 
political  and  financial  troubles  that  oppress  us,  will,  from 
increasing  indications,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  be 
alleviated  (if  not  entirely  done  away,  by  that  forbearance 
and  pacific  spirit  which  should  always  prevail  in  these 
family  feuds),  and  that  the  course  of  natural  trade  must 
soon  resume  its  wonted  activity,  and  its  channels  be 
replenished  with  still  stronger  currents  of  business, 
it  is  my  honest  conviction  that  the  time  for  this  greatly 
needed  improvement  is  at  hand. 

"When  this  congregation  determine  to  do  it,  when 
they  say  with  one  heart  and  one  voice  'let  us  arise  and 
build,'  past  experience  assures  me  that  the  good  work 


54  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

will  be  done,  and  the  temple  raised  as  our  '  memorial  of 
the  abundant  kindness  of  our  God.'  " 

At  another  time  the  rector  said :  "I  may  add  two  new 
features  of  our  parochial  life:  the  Rector's  Bible  Class; 
and  what  may  be  termed  'the  social  reunion'  of  the 
instructors  of  all  the  Sunday-schools,  in  the  month  of 
December." 

This  latter  custom  has  been  continued  to  the  present 
Lime;  and  the  December  meeting  of  all  the  teachers  at 
the  rectory  not  only  formed  a  pleasant  gathering,  but 
was  made  the  occasion  for  consulting  about  the  approach- 
ing Christmas  festivities  of  the  two  schools. 

As  it  was  not  possible,  or  even  desirable,  to  enlarge  the 
present  church,  the  only  alternative  appeared  to  be  the 
purchase  of  ground  elsewhere  for  the  erection  of  a  new 
building.  The  vestry  held  this  important  matter  under 
long  and  frequent  discussion.  Either  they  must  raise 
more  money  to  build,  and  by  so  doing  increase  their 
present  obligations,  or  they  must  sacrifice  the  sure  pros- 
pect of  the  parish  becoming  one  of  great  influence  in 
both  the  neighborhood  and  the  diocese. 

The  vestry,  however,  decided  in  1860  that  whilst  all 
were  of  the  opinion  that  "increased  church  accommoda- 
tions would  have  to  be  obtained  at  no  distant  day,  to 
keep  pace  with  the  growth  of  the  congregation,  and  to 
afford  the  Sunday-school  and  the  societies  of  the  church 
sufficient  room  to  carry  on  their  work,  yet  owing  to  the 
political  agitation  which  was  seriously  affecting  the  busi- 
ness interests  of  the  country,  they  did  not  deem  the 
present  time  a  propitious  one  for  presenting  the  matter 
to  the  congregation." 

During  the  year  which  followed,  civil  war  broke  out; 
business  became  unsettled;    large  demands  were  made 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  55 

for  money  to  provide  for  this  emergency;  uncertainty  as 
to  the  immediate  future  was  great;  and  it  was  evidently 
no  time  to  ask  for  money  to  build  a  new  church.  The 
Sanitary  Commission  appealed  very  forcibly  to  the  hearts 
and  pockets  of  the  benevolent,  and  its  large  requests  for 
money  were  liberally  met. 

The  pressing  necessity  of  providing  a  larger  church 
building  was  not,  however,  forgotten.  The  price  of 
realty  in  New  York  city  was  falling,  and  the  vestry  made 
several  efforts  to  purchase  a  site  for  the  proposed  church. 

The  history  of  the  parish  would  be  incomplete  without 
reference  to  the  loyalty  and  the  patriotism  of  its  people 
during  the  trying  times  of  the  Civil  War.  Mr.  Mont- 
gomery was  a  Christian  patriot,  a  staunch  supporter  of 
the  government,  and  a  kind  and  sympathizing  friend  of 
those  who  were  suffering  from  the  inevitable  conse- 
quences of  war.  His  sermons  were  those  of  a  man  who 
believed  in  the  righteousness  of  the  cause,  and  who  was 
firm  in  his  convictions  of  a  finally  reunited  country. 
His  daughter  has  written  of  this  period: 

"On  the  memorable  19th  of  April,  1861,  Mr.  Mont- 
gomery bade  farewell  to  the  Seventh  Regiment  as  it  left 
the  city  for  the  seat  of  war;  and  on  the  following  Sunday 
there  were  special  prayers  in  the  church  for  all  departing 
volunteers  and  particularly  for  those  going  from  this 
parish.  On  the  27th  of  April  the  rector  caused  the  stars 
and  stripes  to  be  flown  from  the  tower  of  the  church. 

"The  mission  chapel  in  Thirty-first  Street,  which  had 
been  closed  for  repairs,  was  opened  on  May  3d  by  a 
service,  at  which,  after  the  national  anthem  had  been 
sung,  the  rector  made  a  patriotic  address.  The  Sunday 
following  he  preached  a  stirring  patriotic  sermon  in  the 


56  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

church,  and  devoted  the  special  collection  then  taken  to 
the  cause  of  suffering  soldiers. 

"Colonel  James  E.  Montgomery,  his  brother,  had 
served  on  the  staff  of  General  Franklin;  and  his  nephew, 
Lieut.  Louis  Fitzgerald,  was  on  General  Kearney's  staff. 
Both  were  severely  wounded,  and  brought  to  Mr. 
Montgomery's  house. 

"On  June  28th,  1861,  from  the  balcony  of  Mr.  Laim- 
beer's  house  in  Lexington  Avenue,  Mr.  Montgomery 
presided  at  the  presentation  of  colors  to  the  Thirty- 
second  Regiment  massed  in  the  street  below." 

In  various  ways  the  rector  provided  for  the  comfort  of 
the  men  of  the  regiments  in  the  field  by  sending,  through 
established  agencies,  prayer-books  for  Colonel  Matthe- 
son's  regiment,  and  boxes  of  comfort  to  others. 

Through  the  St.Luke'sAssociation  of  the  parish,  the  rec- 
tor secured  beds  at  St.  Luke's  Hospital  for  many  wounded 
soldiers.  His  frequent  appeals  to  his  people  for  contribu- 
tions to  the  Soldiers'  Home,  to  the  sick  in  Bellevue  and  the 
emergency  hospitals,  were  generously  met,  and  served 
to  keep  his  congregation  in  full  sympathy  with  the  cause. 

In  addition  to  his  pastoral  visits  to  his  own  flock,  the 
rector  found  time  to  frequently  visit  the  several  soldiers* 
camps  and  hospitals  throughout  the  city  and  bring  cheer 
and  comfort  to  the  wounded  and  dying  soldiers  and  also 
to  keep  in  touch,  by  a  large  correspondence,  with  many 
who  had  gone  to  the  front. 

In  October,  1862,  the  venerable  senior  warden,  Mr. 
John  Davenport,  after  having  served  the  parish  from  its 
organization,  being  its  first  elected  vestryman,  and  its 
senior  warden  from  1856,  felt  obliged  to  resign  his  seat 
in  the  vestry.  Upon  accepting  his  resignation  the  follow- 
ing minute  was  entered  upon  the  records : 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  57 

Resolved:  That  in  accepting  the  resignation  of 
Mr.  John  Davenport  as  senior  warden  of  the  parish, 
the  rector  and  vestry  desire  to  express  their  sincere 
regret  at  parting  officially  with  a  gentleman  who  has 
faithfully  served  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation  in 
various  offices  of  trust,  and  who  has  been  associated 
with  the  parish  as  a  most  active  and  efficient  mem- 
ber from  its  earliest  inception. 

On  November  9th,  1862,  Bishop  Potter  ordained  in  the 
church  Mr.  John  Jay  Harrison,  who  shortly  thereafter 
received  an  appointment  as  chaplain  in  the  United  States 
Navy. 

In  the  year  following,  on  November  21st,  in  the 
Church  of  the  Incarnation,  the  bishop  admitted  to  the 
diaconate  Mr.  Elliott  Dunham  Tomkins;  and  at  the 
same  time  advanced  to  the  priesthood  the  Rev.  Eastburn 
Benjamin. 

We  here  note  with  pleasure  that  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania,  his  alma  mater,  conferred  upon  the  Rev. 
Henry  E.  Montgomery  in  1863  the  honorary  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Divinity. 

As  there  was  some  probability  that  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Chipman  would  shortly  leave  the  mission  chapel,  a 
petition  from  its  congregation  for  a  continuance  of  his 
services  as  their  missionary  was  sent  to  the  board  of 
managers,  urging  his  retention,  and  pledging  themselves, 
if  he  were  retained,  to  contribute  $400  towards  his 
salary. 

The  board  thereupon  passed  a  resolution  to  the  effect 
that  if  the  persons  interested  would  select  a  committee  of 
their  own  number  to  manage  the  chapel  until  January 
17th,  1864,  and  would  employ  Mr.  Chipman  as  their 
minister,  at  a  salary  of  $1,200  per  annum,  the  board 
would  give  them  the  use  of  the  chapel,  warmed  and 


58  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

lighted,  for  the  public  services  of  the  Episcopal  Church 
until  that  day,  reserving  the  use  of  the  same  for  Sunday- 
schools,  in  the  same  manner  as  now  used.  The  board 
also  agreed  to  contribute  $800  towards  Mr.  Chipman's 
salary. 

Mr.  John  C.  Montgomery  offered  an  amendment 
to  the  above  resolution,  which  was  accepted,  and  the 
original  motion  as  amended  was  adopted,  thereby  giving 
to  the  chapel  congregation,  if  they  so  desired,  the  privi- 
lege of  "organizing  a  separate  corporation." 

The  congregation,  having  accepted  the  suggestion  of 
the  board,  organized  themselves  into  an  independent 
body,  taking  the  name  of  "The  Church  of  the  Recon- 
ciliation," and  electing  the  parish  missionary,  the  Rev. 
Tapping  R.  Chipman,  their  rector. 

Dr.  Montgomery  thus  explained  to  his  people  the 
motive  which  led  him  to  recommend  this  change  in  the 
ecclesiastical  relation  between  the  mission  and  the  parish 
vestry : 

"In  midsummer  of  the  past  year  an  important  change 
was  effected  in  the  ecclesiastical  position  of  our  mission. 
Before  that  period  it  was  simply  a  mission  station  con- 
nected with  the  parish  church.  Its  worshippers  had  no 
voice  in  the  administration  of  its  affairs,  and  its  excellent 
missionary  was  not  entitled  to  a  seat  in  the  diocesan 
convention.  For  several  reasons  it  seemed  expedient 
to  your  board  to  sanction  a  formation  of  a  vestry  for  the 
mission  itself,  who  should  elect  their  own  rector,  thus 
giving  him  a  canonical  position  in  the  convention,  and 
throwing  the  congregation  in  some  small  degree  upon 
their  own  exertion  for  support.  Your  board  permitted 
them  to  form  a  corporation  granting  them  the  use  of  the 
sacred  edifice  for  a  definite  period.     The  proposition  was 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  59 

accepted;  the  vestry  was  elected  for  the  mission;  and 
the  name  of  the  Church  of  the  Reconciliation  was  adopt- 
ed. The  infant  parish  was  admitted  with  its  newly 
elected  rector,  Mr.  Chipman,  into  union  with  the  con- 
vention of  the  diocese  in  September,  1863. 

"It  will  be  borne  in  mind  that  no  change  was  made  in 
the  matter  of  ownership  of  the  church  and  ground  of  the 
mission;  the  title  is  still  held,  for  suflBciently  obvious 
reasons,  by  the  party  who  has  always  possessed  it,  'the 
rector,  wardens  and  vestry  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarna- 
tion.' It  was  believed  that  it  would  produce  excellent 
results  to  give  the  congregation  of  the  mission  an  oppor- 
tunity to  exercise  that  love  of  independence  which  is  so 
strong  an  element  in  our  lives,  and  to  encourage  them  in 
the  laudable  desire  of  providing,  according  to  their  abil- 
ity, for  the  sustentation  of  their  own  minister." 

The  stirring  appeals  of  the  rector  to  "arise  and  build" 
were  not  forgotten.  Efforts  were  made  from  time  to 
time  to  secure  a  favorable  site  for  building,  or  to  buy  a 
church  already  built. 

At  one  time  it  seemed  very  probable  that  an  exchange 
could  be  made  with  Dr.  Hague's  Baptist  Church  on  the 
corner  of  Thirty-first  Street  and  Madison  Avenue. 
After  some  negotiation  the  effort  to  obtain  the  property 
proved  unsuccessful. 

In  March,  1863,  the  vestry  had  before  it  the  refusal  of 
certain  building  lots  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Thirty- 
fifth  Street  and  Madison  Avenue.  Three  lots,  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  feet  deep  on  Thirty-fifth  Street,  could 
be  obtained  for  the  sum  of  $60,000;  or  the  whole  property 
ninety-eight  feet  on  Madison  Avenue  by  one  hundred 
and  seventy-five  feet  on  Thirty-fifth  Street,  could  be 
bought  for  the  sum  of  $85,000. 


60  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

The  vestry  also  had  offered  to  it  for  consideration 
several  lots  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Thirty-fourth 
Street  and  Park  Avenue  (seventy-five  feet  on  Thirty- 
fourth  Street  and  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet  on 
the  avenue),  the  asking  price  for  which  was  $50,000. 

The  purchase  of  three  lots  on  the  corner  of  Thirty- 
ninth  Street  and  Madison  Avenue  (ninety-eight  feet  on 
the  avenue  and  one  hundred  feet  on  the  street),  the 
asking  price  for  which  was  $52,000,  was  also  under 
consideration. 

The  vestry  thereupon  decided  to  lay  the  matter  of 
choice  before  a  parish  meeting;  and  all  subscribers  to  the 
fund  for  building  a  new  church  were  asked  to  meet  at  the 
house  of  the  rector  on  the  evening  of  May  27th,  at  which 
time  the  plans  proposed  by  the  vestry  would  be  laid 
before  them.  The  meeting  proved  an  enthusiastic  one 
and  it  was  decided  to  make  the  effort  to  build,  and  to 
solicit  subscriptions  to  that  end. 

In  June,  1863,  the  rector  was  able  to  announce  to  his 
vestry  that  the  sum  of  $50,000  had  been  subscribed 
towards  building,  and  the  following  resolutions  were 
unanimously  adopted: 

Whereas,  By  the  blessing  of  Almighty  God  upon 
the  exertions  that  have  been  employed  for  the  pur- 
pose, the  sum  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  has  been 
received  in  compliance  with  the  terms  of  the  vestry 
for  the  erection  of  the  new  Church  of  the  Incarna- 
tion; therefore. 

Resolved:  According  to  the  wishes  of  a  large  major- 
ity of  the  congregation,  the  rector  and  clerk  of  the 
vestry  be  instructed  to  negotiate  with  the  owner 
of  the  plot  of  ground  on  the  east  corner  of  Madison 
Avenue  and  Thirty-fifth  Street  for  the  immediate 
purchase  of  74iA}/^  inches  on  the  avenue  by  125  feet 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  61 

on  the  street,  for  a  sura  not  exceeding  $50,000,  and 
upon  the  most  economical  terms  of  payment  that 
can  be  agreed  upon  between  the  parties. 

Resolved:  That  five  members  of  the  vestry  shall  be 
appointed,  of  whom  the  rector  shall  be  chairman 
ex-officio,  and  that  said  committee  be  requested  as 
soon  as  possible  to  consult  a  competent  architect  or 
architects  to  prepare  for  them  a  plan,  or  plans,  to 
lay  before  the  vestry,  of  a  church,  chapel  and 
school-house,  the  expense  of  which  shall  be  strictly 
within  the  terms  of  the  subscription  book  of  the 
new  church. 

The  building  committee  consisted  of  the  rector, 
and  Messrs.  Vandervoort,  Crawford,  Pritchard,  Theras- 
son  and  Gierke,  who  held  frequent  meetings  for  consulta- 
tion. 

In  1863,  on  a  day  in  July  when  the  city  was  in  the 
hands  of  a  mob  on  account  of  the  draft  riots,  a  meeting 
of  the  building  committee  of  the  vestry  was  held  to 
decide  upon  plans  for  the  new  church,  and,  notwith- 
standing the  uncertainty  and  the  excitement  of  the  hour, 
the  rector  and  a  quorum  transacted  business  as  usual. 
On  his  way  to  this  meeting,  the  rector  found  one  of  his 
parishioners  on  the  sidewalk  in  front  of  her  house,  where 
she  had  been  driven  by  the  mob  which  had  attacked  the 
draft  officers,  broken  the  draft  wheel,  and  driven  out  the 
inmates  and  burned  the  house.  Dr.  Montgomery  took 
the  ladies  of  the  household  to  his  own  home  for  protec- 
tion, and  went  on  to  attend  the  committee  meeting. 

In  August  the  special  committee  reported  that  it 
had  purchased  the  lot  referred  to  on  the  northeast  corner 
of  Thirty-fifth  Street  and  Madison  Avenue  at  a  cost  of 
$48,000,  of  which  amount  $40,000  was  to  remain  on  bond 
and  mortgage  for  eighteen  months  at  six  per  cent  interest. 


62  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Three  designs  for  the  building  had  been  under  con- 
sideration, submitted  respectively  by  Messrs.  Gambrel 
and  Post,  Mr.  H.  G.  Harrison  and  Mr.  E.  T.  Littell. 
The  vestry  decided  upon  the  plan  of  Mr.  Littell,  and  he 
was  accordingly  appointed  architect  of  the  church. 

It  was  a  gratifying  surprise  to  the  rector  and  vestry  to 
learn  that  William  Judson,  Esq.,  had  offered  to  buy  and 
donate  to  the  church  the  lot  on  Thirty-fifth  Street  behind 
the  lots  purchased  for  the  new  church;  by  which  generous 
offer  the  symmetry  of  the  new  church  edifice  could  be 
greatly  improved,  and  the  Sunday-school  room  and 
chapel  made  more  commodious.  The  thanks  of  the 
vestry,  with  suitable  acknowledgments  of  the  generous 
offer  of  Mr.  Judson,  were  sent  to  him,  and  the  rector  was 
requested  to  confer  with  the  donor  as  to  the  method  of 
conveying  the  property  directly  to  the  corporation,  with 
covenant  attached,  in  order  that  the  parish  should  be 
secured  against  any  contingency  in  the  possession  of  the 
new  building  which  it  was  intended  to  erect  thereon.    ' 

The  architect's  plan  of  the  church,  showing  certain 
changes  made  necessary  by  the  addition  of  the  lot  in 
Thirty-fifth  Street,  was  agreed  to  by  the  vestry,  it  being 
specified  that  the  church  should  be  without  galleries, 
should  seat  eleven  hundred  and  six  people,  that  the 
organ  be  placed  near  the  chancel  and  that  the  entire  cost 
should  not  exceed  the  original  estimate. 

As  the  contract  for  the  building  called  for  a  larger  sum 
of  ready  money  than  the  parish  had  available,  it  was 
particularly  pleasing  to  learn  that  the  Rev.  Dr.  Campbell 
White  had  made  overtures  for  the  purchase  of  the  old 
church  building,  Madison  Avenue  and  Twenty-eighth 
Street,  and  that  possibly  the  sum  of  $45,000  could  be 
obtained  for  it.     The  rector  was  authorized  to  offer  the 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  63 

building  to  Dr.  White  for  that  sum  upon  certain  condi- 
tions.    The  negotiations,  however,  failed. 

The  work  of  building  proceeded  diligently  and  the 
corner-stone  of  the  new  church  was  laid  on  March  8th, 
1864,  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Horatio  Potter,  bishop  of  the 
diocese.  There  were  present  on  this  occasion  with  the 
rector,  Bishop  Talbot  of  Indiana,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Taylor, 
rector  of  Grace  Church,  twenty-five  vested  clergymen, 
and  students  from  the  General  Theological  Seminary. 
An  address  was  made  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Montgomery, 
wherein  he  stated  that  "in  building  this  church  we  have 
gone  down  to  solid  rock  foundation,  thereby  making  it  a 
type  of  the  living  Church  which  is  founded  upon  the 
Rock  of  Ages."  Within  less  than  a  year  after  this  cere- 
mony the  rector  had  the  great  satisfaction  of  announc- 
ing to  his  people  that  the  church  was  paid  for,  that  every 
seat  in  the  building  had  been  sold  or  rented,  and  that  the 
cost  of  the  building  had  been  $120,000. 

From  a  description  given  by  the  architect  we  learn 
that  "the  Church  of  the  Incarnation  is  in  the  Early 
Decorated  English  Gothic  style,  of  the  first  part  of  the 
XlVth  century,  adapted  to  modern  principles  and 
improvements  in  architecture.  The  material  is  Newark 
stone  with  Cleveland  stone  dressing  on  the  front,  and  the 
other  walls  are  of  brick.  The  front  on  Madison  Avenue 
has  three  arcade  entrances  to  the  same  number  of  aisles 
into  which  the  interior  is  divided.  The  length  of  the 
church  is  ninety-nine  feet,  its  breadth  sixty-one  feet,  and 
its  height  sixty-five  feet.  The  exterior  and  interior  sculp- 
tures are  modelled  after  natural  leaves;  the  arch  braces 
of  the  roof  are  filled  with  tracery  purlins  and  inter- 
mediates, forming  square  panels,  above  which  is  the  chest- 
nut ceiling.    The  chamfers  have  been  colored  with  vermil- 


64  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

lion  and  the  roof  oiled  and  stained .  Two  of  the  porch  door- 
ways are  of  the  form  known  as  square-headed  trefoil; 
the  centre  doorway  having  a  full  pointed  arch  with  sofBt 
cusps  forming  a  pointed  trefoil  head.  The  gable 
surmounting  the  centre  terminates  in  a  floriated  stone 
cross.  Above  the  porch  runs  a  low  arcade,  partially 
pierced  through,  and  above  this  again  is  a  great  west 
window  of  five  lights  with  traceried  head,  the  tracery 
being  transition  from  plate  to  bar  tracery.  The  chancel, 
which  is  apsis,  is  eighteen  by  twenty  feet  and  is  lighted 
from  above  by  a  large  corona  of  twenty-four  lights. 
The  bishop's  chair,  canopied,  is  at  the  crown  of  the  apse 
with  seats  for  four  clergy  on  either  side.  Without  the 
chancel  rail  and  on  the  south  side  stands  the  pulpit.  On 
the  north  side  is  the  font.  The  chancel  furniture  is  of 
walnut  and  ash,  and  the  pews  and  trimming  of  the  nave 
of  the  church  are  walnut  and  chestnut.  The  ceiling  of 
thefihancel  is  a  pointed  semi-dome  of  framed  walnut  and 
ash  tracery.  The  lower  panels  filled  with  plaster  tinted 
to  a  deep  ultra-marine,  are  relieved  with  constellations 
of  golden  stars.  The  upper  panels  are  filled  with  white 
glass  with  ruby  border.  Around  the  cornice  is  the 
legend  'The  Word  was  made  Flesh  and  dwelt  among  us.' 
The  walls  of  the  church  are  encrusted  with  diaper  work 
in  plaster.  The  chancel  arch  is  of  stone  on  stone  col- 
umns with  capitals  carved  with  oak  and  maple  leaves. 
On  the  north  side  of  the  chancel  is  the  sacristy  and  organ- 
room,  the  organ  and  choir  being  raised  above  the  room 
wherein  the  bellows  is  located.  The  church  is  lighted  by 
means  of  the  chancel  corona  and  by  circles  of  gas  jets 
from  golden  flowers,  surrounding  the  cap  of  the  iron 
column  on  each  side  of  the  nave." 

A  peculiar  feature  in  the  church  was  a  small  gallery 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  65 

for  a  quartette  choir  in  front  of  the  organ,  which  was 
elevated  about  twelve  feet  above  the  floor  of  the  nave  to 
the  left  of  the  chancel  arch.  In  these  days  of  chancel 
choristers  this  arrangement  can  hardly  be  appreciated. 

The  new  Church  of  the  Incarnation  at  Madison  Ave- 
nue and  Thirty-fifth  Street  was  opened  for  service  on  the 
third  Sunday  in  Advent,  December  11th,  1864.  A  very 
large  congregation  was  in  attendance.  There  were 
present  in  the  chancel  the  Rev.  Dr.  Forbes,  Rev.  Messrs. 
Thomas  M.  Peters,  S.  S.  Stocking  and  John  H.  Hopkins, 
Jr.  The  sermon  was  by  the  rector  upon  the  text:  *'So 
the  house  of  the  Lord  was  perfected."  (II  Chronicles 
VIII:  16.)     He  said: 

"A  brief  synopsis  of  the  history  of  the  undertaking 
seems  to  be  claimed  by  this  interesting  occasion;  es- 
pecially as  this  church  is  (if  I  am  correctly  informed), 
the  first  and  only  Protestant  Episcopal  House  of  God 
ever  built  in  this  city  by  its  own  congregation,  without 
receiving,  or  even  asking,  pecuniary  assistance  from  the 
venerable  corporation  of  Trinity  Church."^ 

Alluding  to  the  construction  of  the  new  building  the 
rector  says,  "It  was  determined  in  the  very  outset  that 
the  three  cardinal  principles  of  sight,  sound  and  ventila- 

1  This  assertion  of  independence,  of  which  rector  and  people  were 
justly  proud,  was  repeated  upon  another  occasion,  with  the  added 
words  that  "this  exception  is  so  stated  in  the  report  of  the  Rev.  Dr 
Berrian,  the  rector  of  Trinity,  addressed  to  the  Legislature  of  the 
State." 

During  the  preparation  of  this  history,  at  the  request  of  Dean 
Grosvenor,  this  excerpt  from  Dr.  Montgomery's  sermon  was  sent  to 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Manning,  present  rector  of  Trinity  for  his  information. 
His  acknowledgment  of  the  same  was  accompanied  by  a  letter  from 
the  comptroller  of  the  parish,  Mr.  H.  H.  Cammann,  in  which  he  says 
"We  have  had  our  records  carefully  examined  and  we  cannot  find  any 
reference  to  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  or  that  any  donation  was 
ever  given  to  that  church." 


66  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

tion  should  be  considered;  and  it  was  distinctly  intimat- 
ed to  the  gentlemen  who  competed  for  the  construction  of 
the  edifice  that  no  plan  would  be  entertained  for  a  single 
moment  that  did  not  combine  these  three  essential 
elements  for  Protestant  Episcopal  worship. 

"Without  the  intermission  of  a  single  Sunday  service, 
this  House  of  God  is  perfected,  and  today,  under  the  most 
auspicious  conditions,  with  the  sunlight  of  heaven 
shedding  its  genial  rays  upon  us  and  gentle  rain  symbol- 
izing the  showers  of  His  Grace,  the  noble  temple  which 
our  hands  have  builded,  thronged  by  its  friends  and 
familiar  worshippers,  stands  among  its  sister  churches 
which  crown  this  beautiful  height  of  the  metropolis,  and 
begins  to  echo  the  glorious  strains  of  the  Gospel  of  our 
Lord  and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ." 

The  preacher  then  describes  the  appearance  of  the 
interior  of  the  church, 

"While  our  architect  has  gone  to  the  former  part  of 
the  fourteenth  century  for  a  model,  or  rather  for  his 
style,  the  church  is  adapted  to  modern  wants,  and  to 
modern  principles  and  improvements  of  construction. 
It  has  been  the  aim  of  the  architect  to  avoid  medievalism, 
and  to  give  expression  to  the  comforts  of  the  present  day 
by  means  of  the  noble,  well  approved  alphabet  of  the 
past. 

"The  divisions  between  the  nave  and  the  aisles  are 
marked  by  iron  pillars  of  the  thickness  of  only  nine 
inches,  the  first  adaptation  of  such  to  ecclesiastical 
purposes  in  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  this 
country,  although  there  is  a  rich  volume  of  European 
experience  in  their  favor." 

Having  spoken  of  the  Church  of  Christ  under  the 
symbol  of  a  ship,  the  preacher  continues,  "the  earliest 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  67 

churches  remaining,  have  the  bishop's  chair  placed  as 
you  see  it  here,  behind  the  Lord's  Table,  and  at  the 
very  extreme  end  of  the  apse,  that  He,  the  Spiritual 
Pilot,  when  present,  may  overlook  the  welfare  of  the 
entire  flock.  The  Lord's  Table  is  so  situated  that  the 
ofiiciating  presbyter  may  go  behind  it  and  break  the 
bread  of  life  'before  the  people,'  as  the  rubric  directs, 
thus  uttering,  even  by  his  posture  and  gesticulation,  a 
protest  against  the  fearful  doctrine  of  transubstantiation, 
which  places  the  priest  between  the  people  and  the  altar, 
and  teaches  that  the  sacrifice  is  repeated  continually  by 
the  celebrant.  This  is  a  House  of  Prayer,  and  not  a 
temple  for  sacrifice." 

Having  referred  to  the  fact  that  the  articles  of  furni- 
ture in  the  chancel,  and  also  the  Communion  silver,  were 
gifts  of  dear  friends  and  parishioners,  the  rector  speaks  of 
"the  most  conspicuous  features  of  our  new  sanctuary, 
which  may  well  be  termed  an  extraordinary  series  of 
memorial  windows. 

"The  great  west  window  represents  in  its  middle  lancet 
the  ascension  of  our  adorable  Redeemer,  while  in  the  side 
lights  are  seen  types  of  the  various  deeds  of  mercy  per- 
formed in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  which  were  so 
constantly  and  sweetly  done  by  the  loving  child  of  God, 
in  whose  memory  this  window  has  been  made.^ 

"The  associated  memorials  that  fill  the  windows  on  the 
south  side  of  the  church  present  consecutively  the  differ- 
ent classes  of  our  parochial  dead,  since  the  period  of  my 
rectorship   in  the    church,    (my   own   departed    among 

1  This   window,    which    was  most  beautiful  in  design,  attracted 

much  attention  for  its  coloring  and  artistic  workmanship.     It  was  the 

gift  of  Mrs.  Henry  Shelton  in  memory  of  her  daughter,  Claude  S. 

Brownrigg.     It  was  destroyed  by  fire  in   1882  and  was  replaced  by 

the  easterly  window  now  on  the  north  wall. 


68  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

them.)  The  one  nearest  to  the  tower  is  dedicated  to  the 
blessed  infancy  of  children.  The  next,  to  the  little 
children  whom  the  adorable  Redeemer  has  gathered  to 
His  arms  and  taken  to  Himself  forever.  The  third 
couplet  represents  the  young  maidens  who  have  fallen 
asleep  in  Jesus;  and  the  fourth  contains  scriptural 
delineations  appropriate  to  the  young  men  whose  initials 
are  written  underneath;  while  the  last  two  windows  on 
this  side  represent,  respectively,  the  maturer  members 
of  the  parish  and  those  who  left  us  in  the  full  weight  of 
years;  or  rather,  bending  beneath  that  weight  towards 
the  grave,  whither  we  are  all  hastening.  On  the  north 
side  of  the  sanctuary  all  are  private  memorials,  save 
three,  including  the  remaining  large  window  on  the  left. 

"Selected  here  and  there  throughout  the  church  are 
some  free  pews  for  the  poor  and  the  stranger,  where  we 
can  always  exercise  hospitality  towards  those  who  have 
no  regular  sitting  in  the  sanctuary." 

In  conclusion  the  preacher  said,  "We  will  continue  as 
of  old  to  'take  sweet  counsel  together  concerning  the 
things  that  belong  to  our  peace.'  We  will  together 
strive  for  the  defence  of  the  Gospel  as  a  band  of  brothers. 
W^e  will  toil  for  the  salvation  of  souls,  and  for  the  con- 
solation of  the  manifold  hurts  of  poor  humanity.  W^e 
will  labor,  not  to  make  our  church  eminent  in  position, 
or  distinguished  by  a  worldly  conformity,  but  eminent  in 
good  works,  and  conspicuous  in  the  light  it  sheds  on  the 
waste  places  of  the  moral  wilderness  around  us.  The 
church  is  set  on  a  hill.  By  the  blessing  of  God  it  shall  be 
like  *  a  city  set  on  a  hill,  which  cannot  be  hid.'  " 

A  hymn  composed  by  Dr.  Littell,  brother  of  the  archi- 
tect, was  sung  upon  this  occasion  of  the  first  service  in 
the  new  church. 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  69 

The  church  received  many  gifts  from  parishioners  in 
the  matter  of  chancel  furnishings  and  memorial  windows. 
A  massive  silver  communion  set,  consisting  of  a  flagon, 
two  patens,  two  chalices  and  four  alms  basins,  is  in- 
scribed "a  memorial  offering  from  Frances  Moore 
Tucker,  All  Saints'  Day,  1864." 

It  had  been  the  intention  of  the  vestry  to  have  the 
church  consecrated  on  the  second  day  of  February,  1865, 
but  it  became  necessary  to  postpone  the  ceremony,  and 
accordingly,  on  Thursday  in  Easter  Week,  April  20th, 
1865,  the  consecration  took  place.  The  wardens  and 
vestrymen  met  Bishops  Potter  and  Bedell  and  about 
twenty  clergy,  in  surplices,  at  the  main  door  of  the 
church.  The  Instrument  of  Donation  and  the  Request 
to  Consecrate  were  read  by  the  rector.  The  Sentence 
of  Consecration  was  read  by  the  Rev.  John  R.Livingston, 
D.D. 

Morning  Prayer  was  said  by  the  rector,  assisted  by  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Nathaniel  E.  Cornwall  and  Dr.  Livingston. 
The  Revs.  Lawrence  H.  Mills  and  Lea  Luquer  read 
the  Lessons.  Bishop  Horatio  Potter  of  New  York 
said  the  Ante-Communion  Service,  Bishop  Bedell  of 
Ohio  reading  the  Epistle. 

The  sermon  was  by  the  Bishop  of  Ohio,  who  took  for 
his  text  St.  John  XII:  5.  'Why  was  not  this  ointment 
sold  for  three  hundred  pence  and  given  to  the  poor?" 
The  propriety  and  usefulness  of  devoting  costly  offerings 
to  God's  service  was  his  theme.  "A  barn,"  said  the 
bishop,  "might  indeed  be  an  acceptable  offering  when 
nothing  better  could  be  had,  but  it  would  be  an  insult 
if  given  by  those  who  had  costly  and  comfortable  houses 
of  their  own.  The  erection  of  a  beautiful  church  im- 
proves  the   taste   of   the   whole   neighborhood."     The 


70  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

preacher  dwelt  at  some  length  upon  the  manifold  bene- 
fits of  a  thoroughly  educated  and  cultivated  ministry, 
and  he  counselled  the  congregation  to  remember  that  the 
degree  of  support  they  gave  to  their  pastor  was  the  true 
measure  of  the  intelligence  of  the  flock. 

The  collection  taken  at  this  time  amounted  to  more 
than  $1,000  and  was  appropriated  to  the  work  of  the 
Christian  Commission. 

On  the  Sunday  previous  (being  Easter  Day)  the  collec- 
tion had  amounted  to  $2,300,  which  was  taken  specially 
for  the  St.  Luke's  Hospital  Association  of  the  parish. 

The  church  has  always  been  noted  for  its  contributions 
to  benevolent  objects.  The  rector  said  to  his  congrega- 
tion in  1864,  "In  one  fact  I  take  great  pleasure,  that,  in 
the  year  when  we  are  carrying  the  burden  of  our  new 
church  enterprise,  a  burden  lightened  by  the  one  hundred 
and  thirty-five  subscribers,  we  have  considerably  in- 
creased our  benevolent  contributions  over  last  year. 
While  we  have  been  engaged  in  providing  for  ourselves 
we  have  not  been  slack  in  making  provision  for  others  of 
the  'household  of  faith.' 

"Without  any  invidious  distinction  I  apprehend  that 
I  may  safely  claim  that  if  not  absolutely  at  least  relative- 
ly, in  view  of  the  limited  capacity,  our  receipts  have  been 
the  largest  ever  yet  collected  in  any  church  of  our  com- 
munion in  the  country." 

In  alluding  to  the  building  of  the  church  the  rector  said : 

"To  show  the  faith  which  animated  the  conductors  of 
the  enterprise,  it  may  be  mentioned  that  the  contract  for 
the  purchase  of  the  site  was  signed  on  the  very  day  of  the 
announcement  that  Gen.  Lee  entered  Pennsylvania; 
while,  to  illustrate  the  earnestness  of  the  Building  Com- 
mittee, I  may  be  permitted  to  state  that  the  first  meeting 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  71 

at  which  a  quorum  was  present  was  held  upon  the  second 
and  worst  day  of  the  July  riots." 

By  selecting  the  present  site  for  their  new  church  the 
parish  was  entering  into  what  later  became  a  congested 
ecclesiastical  zone. 

The  Church  of  the  Transfiguration,  opened  for  service 
in  1850,  was  located  in  Twenty-ninth  Street  between 
Fifth  and  Madison  Avenues 

Zion  Church  had  occupied  its  new  building  on  the 
corner  of  Thirty-eighth  Street  and  Madison  Avenue 
since  1854. 

On  the  northeast  corner  of  Lexington  Avenue  and 
Thirty-fifth  Street  the  attractive  little  Church  of  St. 
John  Baptist,  built  during  the  rectorship  of  the  Rev. 
Cornelius  R.  DufiSe,  had  been  consecrated  in  1856. 

Christ  Church,  which  had  formerly  been  a  Baptist 
Church,  stood  on  the  corner  of  Fifth  Avenue  and  Thirty- 
fifth  Street,  and  was  under  the  rectorship  of  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Ewer. 

By  the  coming  of  the  Incarnation  to  its  present  site, 
there  was  created  the  anomalous  condition  of  four  Epis- 
copal churches  within  the  radius  of  half  a  mile,  three  of 
these  being  on  Thirty-fifth  Street  within  two  blocks  of 
each  other.  The  newly  organized  Church  of  the  Atone- 
ment was  then  occupying  the  former  Church  of  the 
Incarnation  at  Twenty-eighth  Street.  It  is  evident 
therefore,  that  that  particular  section  of  the  city  did  not 
lack  for  the  services  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 

Eventually  it  became  desirable  to  transfer  Christ 
Church  to  West  Seventy-first  Street  and  Broadway,  and 
to  unite  Zion  congregation  with  that  of  St.  Timothy  on 
West  Fifty-seventh  Street.  The  old  Christ  Church  was 
later  demolished  to  make  room  for  a  mercantile  building; 


72  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

and  Zion  Cliurch  (still  standing)  was  sold  to  the  congre- 
gation of  the  South  (Reformed)  Church.  St.  John 
Baptist  congregation  united  with  the  parish  of  the  Epiph- 
any (organized  1833),  and,  although  the  church  still 
remains  on  its  original  site,  the  name  has  passed  away 
and  the  name  Epiphany  has  supplanted  it. 

President  Lincoln  was  assassinated  on  the  evening  of 
Good  Friday,  April  14th,  1865.  The  church  was  draped  in 
mourning,  and  on  April  19th,  at  the  hour  of  Mr.  Lincoln's 
funeral,  a  commemorative  service  was  held  at  the  church, 
consisting  of  the  litany  and  prayers  from  the  funeral 
service,  with  appropriate  hymns,  and  an  address  by  the 
rector.  He  also  read  the  speech  of  President  Johnson  to 
the  Illinois  Delegation. 

Thursday,  April  20th,  the  day  selected  for  the  conse- 
cration of  the  new  church,  had  been  appointed  by  the 
President  of  the  United  States  as  a  day  of  universal 
thanksgiving  throughout  the  country  on  account  of  the 
close  of  the  war.  It  was  suddenly  changed  into  a  day 
of  mourning  on  account  of  the  assassination  of  Mr. 
Lincoln.  During  the  consecration  services  prayers  were 
offered  for  the  afflicted  family  and  for  the  sorrowing 
nation. 

Very  specially  would  we  emphasize  Dr.  Montgomery's 
intense  loyalty  to  the  government,  and  his  warmest 
sympathy  and  tender  consideration  for  the  Southern 
people,  great  numbers  of  whom  came  north  in  dire 
distress  shortly  after  the  war.  Many  came  to  the  rec- 
tor's house  and  became  his  devoted  personal  friends. 
The  Southern  clergy  also  found  his  pulpit  freely  opened 
for  them  to  plead  for  their  poverty-stricken  churches. 

A  second  offer  for  the  Twenty-eighth  Street  church 
property  having  been  received,  the  vestry  submitted  a 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  73 

contract  for  its  purchase  to  the  Society  of  the  Second 
Congregational  Unitarian  Church  of  the  City  of  New 
York;  whereby  "the  church  edifice  and  premises  at  the 
corner  of  Madison  Avenue  and  Twenty-eighth  Street, 
together  with  the  organ  and  all  the  church  furniture, 
(excepting  the  altar  cloth  and  cushions,  the  kneeling 
benches  of  the  pews  and  the  font),  would  be  delivered  to 
them  for  the  sum  of  $43,000,  to  be  paid  in  cash  on  the 
delivery  of  the  deed  for  said  premises."  The  purchaser 
was  not  able  to  fulfill  the  terms  of  the  contract,  and  the 
sale  was  not  effected. 

The  matter  of  free  sittings  in  all  churches  was  being 
advocated  by  the  journals  of  the  day  at  this  time,  and  in 
keeping  with  the  spirit  of  "free  and  open  churches," 
the  vestry  on  November  16th,  1864,  resolved  that 

Whereas,  About  two  thousand  four  hundred  dol- 
lars has  been  subscribed  for  the  object  of  free  pews  in 
the  new  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  the  vestry  feel 
under  obligation  to  carry  out  the  intention  of  the 
subscribers  thereto,  to  set  apart  such  pews  accord- 
ingly." 

The  church  was  completed  without  debt,  by  the  end 
of  the  year;  and  we  note  that  the  vestry,  having  thus 
provided  for  the  wants  of  the  congregation  and  Sunday- 
school,  were  anxious  to  provide  for  the  comfort  of  Dr. 
Montgomery  and  his  family  by  building  a  rectory. 
They  therefore  decided  that  "in  view  of  its  special  value 
to  the  church  and  of  its  prospective  value  as  a  rectory, 
the  lot  on  Madison  Avenue  north  of  the  church  be 
purchased  by  the  church  corporation  (subject  to  its 
mortgage  of  $10,000)  at  its  actual  cost  to  its  present 
holders."  The  lot  was  accordingly  purchased  in  1865 
for  the  sum  of  $11,054.08. 


74  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

There  were  no  year  books  in  those  days  to  give  in- 
formation regarding  the  parish,  but  no  better  source  of 
information  could  be  found  than  the  sermon  preached  by 
Dr.  Montgomery  on  each  recurring  anniversary  of  his 
rectorship.  Its  spiritual  and  financial  condition  was 
plainly  rehearsed  to  his  people,  not  only  to  give  informa- 
tion of  the  past,  but  to  incite  them  to  renewed  activity  in 
the  future.  From  the  rector's  sermon  delivered  on  his 
tenth  anniversary  (March,  1865)  we  quote  the  following: 

Total  contributions  for  the  year  1864-5.  .$119,399. 19 
For  the  preceding  nine  years'  receipts  . . .   202,478 .  94 


Total  for  ten  years $321,878.13 

Of  the  amount  of  contributions  for  the  year  there 
are  two  large  items,  namely:  from  the  sale  of  pews, 
and  premiums  less  the  amount  of  subscriptions  re- 
ported last  year,  and  less  also  the  amount  of  inter- 
est in  the  former  church  $56,250  and  the  net  result 
of  sale  of  the  former  church  property  $38,800. 

Referring  to  the  numerous  objects  receiving  contri- 
butions from  the  parish,  in  the  diocese,  in  the  city,  in 
foreign  fields,  and  in  domestic  missions,  the  rector  said: 
"The  good  accomplished  by  the  thousand  rills  of  be- 
neficence I  leave  you  to  imagine;  no  human  intellect 
can  trace  the  blessed  influence  to  its  end.  No  language 
of  earth  could  suflBce  to  describe  the  healing  and  the 
gladness  ministered  by  the  annual  prayers  and  offerings 
of  a  congregation  of  Christ's  professing  people.  One 
most  agreeable  incident  I  must  not  omit  to  mention — 
the  gift  of  a  subscription  of  $1 ,200  (or  its  value  in  the  pew 
to  the  Corporation),  accompanied  with  the  request, 
which  has  been  complied  with,  that  the  increase  in  the 
church's  revenue  accruing  from  the  gift  should  be 
appropriated  only  to  the  poor.     Several  other  contribu- 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  75 

tions  of  a  like  nature,  and  of  smaller  amount,  have  also 
been  made  to  the  vestry." 

Mr.  Henry  Eyre,  a  member  of  the  vestry,  with  the  sole 
object  of  removing  a  present  encumbrance  of  the  church, 
took,  by  assignment  in  behalf  of  his  wife,  a  mortgage  of 
$10,000  which  had  become  due  on  the  rectory  lot.  A 
vote  of  thanks  was  passed  by  the  vestry  to  Mr.  Eyre  for 
his  generous  action. 

The  church  having  been  finished  and  consecrated,  the 
rector  next  urged  upon  his  people  the  desirability  of 
building  a  rectory  on  the  vacant  lot  north  of  the  church. 
The  vestry  thereupon  issued  a  circular  letter  to  the  mem- 
bers of  the  church,  which  was  read  by  the  rector  from  the 
chancel  on  Easter  Day,  1867. 
The  letter  was  as  follows : 

Whereas,  It  is  considered  expedient  and  desirable 
in  the  opinion  of  the  vestry  that  the  rector  should 
reside  near  the  church  as  well  for  his  own  health  and 
comfort  as  for  the  greater  facility  in  performing  the 
duties  of  his  office,  and 

Whereas,  The  lot  on  the  north  side  of  the  church 
now  owned  by  the  church  may  very  properly  be  used 
for  the  erection  of  a  parsonage  so  soon  as  it  can  be 
done  without  increasing  the  present  pecuniary  re- 
sponsibilities of  the  church  corporation,  and 

Whereas,  The  vestry  is  informed  that  a  suitable 
building  for  the  purpose  can  be  erected  for  the  sum 
of  $25,000,  while  the  church  corporation  is  now  pay- 
ing the  rector  for  rent  of  a  parsonage  the  yearly  sum 
of  $1,500. 

Resolved:  That  if  the  sum  of  $10,000,  which  is  the 
difference  between  the  present  property  valuation  of 
a  parsonage  and  the  proposed  valuation,  can  be  ob- 
tained in  responsible  subscriptions,  and  so  soon  as  they 
are  obtained  and  not  before,  the  vestry  will  proceed 
to  make  contract  for  the  erection  of  a  parsonage. 


76  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

This  proposition  of  tlie  vestry  was  heartily  concurred 
in  by  the  congregation.  The  matter  of  building  was 
however  deferred  for  a  while;  and,  as  no  special  work  was 
to  be  undertaken  during  the  summer,  the  vestry  gladly 
accorded  leave  of  absence  to  the  rector,  from  September 
15th  for  three  months,  to  enable  him  to  make  a  trip  to 
Europe. 

In  May,  1868,  the  project  of  building  a  parsonage 
on  the  lot  north  of  the  church,  or  selling  it,  was  further 
discussed  by  the  vestry.  After  due  deliberation  they 
concurred  in  the  views  of  the  rector  that  between  the 
question  of  selling  the  lot  or  leaving  it  in  an  unpro- 
ductive state  for  an  indefinite  time,  it  would  be  better  to 
mortgage  the  church  property  for  a  sufficient  amount  to 
build  a  parsonage,  and  consolidate  the  debt  of  the  church 
corporation,  having  as  little  debt  as  possible  on  the 
church  building.  The  vestry  desired  the  rector  to  ap- 
point a  committee  "to  digest  a  completed  plan  for  the 
erection  of  the  parsonage,  the  securing  of  the  money 
necessary  for  the  same,  and  for  the  liquidation  of  the 
present  indebtedness  of  the  parish."  Messrs.  Gierke, 
Therasson,  Herrick  and  Fahnestock  were  thereupon  ap- 
pointed. 

The  report  of  this  committee  stated  that  a  house 
twenty-four  by  fifty  feet,  of  three  story  and  French  roof, 
with  an  extension  suitable  for  a  rector's  study,  could  be 
built  for  $29,500,  and  be  ready  for  occupancy  by  April, 
1869.  This  would  increase  the  present  indebtedness  of 
the  parish  to  $55,000.  The  enhanced  value  of  the 
church  property  and  the  resources  of  the  parish  seemed 
abundantly  to  justify  this  important  step.  The  archi- 
tecture of  the  house  was  to  be  in  keeping  with  that  of  the 
church. 


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THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  77 

The  committee  believed  that  there  would  be  no  difficulty 
in  securing  this  amount  on  mortgage  upon  the  church 
property,  with  a  personal  bond  added,  as  it  was  consider- 
ed first  class,  and  worth  at  least  five  times  the  amount 
of  the  proposed  mortgage. 

The  report  of  the  committee  was  favorably  received 
and  the  following  resolution  was  passed  by  the  vestry  on 
June  1st,  1868. 

Resolved:  That  a  sum  not  exceeding  $36,000  be 
raised  by  loan  on  the  church,  to  be  used  in  the 
erection  on  the  parsonage  lot  of  a  suitable  building 
for  a  rectory;  also  to  pay  all  taxes  and  assessments 
which  are  a  lien  on  the  church  property,  and  also 
to  pay  any  deficiencies  as  shown  by  the  treasurer's 
report. 

Resolved:  That  with  this  amount  secured  to  the 
parish  on  mortgage,  the  sum  of  $10,000  so  kindly 
loaned  for  several  years  by  Henry  Eyre,  for  the  con- 
venience of  the  vestry,  be  paid  off. 

The  vestry  also  determined  that  the  building  of  the 
parsonage  be  forthwith  commenced  and  should  not 
exceed  $30,000  in  cost.  The  two  wardens,  Messrs.  Val- 
entine and  Nesbitt,  together  with  Messrs.  Gierke,  Theras- 
son,  Fahnestock  and  Herrick  were  appointed  a  building 
committee.  A  concise  statement  of  the  action"  of  the 
vestry  in  the  matter  of  building  the  parsonage  was  directed 
to  be  read  by  the  rector  to  the  congregation. 

The  real  estate  indebtedness  of  the  parish  it  was  therein 
stated,  would  be  as  follows: 

Proposed  mortgage  on  the  church     .      .      .     $36,000 

Mortgage  on  parsonage  lot 9,000 

Mortgage  on  chapel 10,000 

Total  of  indebtedness $55,000 


78  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

The  amount  of  the  loan  to  be  obtained  on  the  church 
building  was  subsequently  raised  to  $38,000  making  the 
entire  indebtedness  of  the  parish,  $57,000. 

The  organ,  built  by  Henry  Erben,  which  had  not  been 
completed  in  time  for  the  consecration  of  the  church, 
had  by  this  time  been  placed  in  the  small  choir-loft. 

Turning  our  thoughts  from  the  parish  to  the  affairs 
of  the  diocese,  we  note  that  the  convention  of  1867  had 
passed  an  amendment  of  two  existing  canons,  whereby 
it  became  obligatory  on  all  churches  in  the  diocese  to  take 
an  annual  collection  for  certain  specified  objects.  Fail- 
ure on  the  part  of  any  parish  to  comply  with  this  enact- 
ment was  to  result  in  loss  of  representation  in  the  diocesan 
convention. 

The  vestry  of  the  Incarnation  protested  against  such 
arbitrary  legislation  in  strong  and  emphatic  language,  as 
evidenced  by  the  following  resolutions,  passed  October 
29th  and  presented  at  the  diocesan  convention  of  1870: 

The  corporation  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation 
in  the  City  of  New  York  through  their  Rector, 
Church  Wardens,  and  Vestrymen  desire  respectfully 
to  enter  their  protest  and  by  this  document  do  pro- 
test, against  the  action  of  the  Diocesan  Convention 
of  New  York  which  by  amendment  in  1867  of  its 
Canons  IV  and  XV  made  it  obligatory  upon  churches 
to  make  collections  for  specified  objects  under  penalty 
of  forfeiting  their  connection  with  the  Convention, 
and  the  right  to  send  a  delegate  or  delegates  to  its 
sessions.     The  grounds  of  the  protest  are  as  follows: 

First.  That  the  Constitution  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  in  the  Diocese  of  New  York  by  its 
Third  Article  guarantees  to  each  church  a  right  to  be 
represented  in  Diocesan  Convention  by  lay  mem- 
bers or  delegates,  not  exceeding  three  in  number, 
chosen  by  its  vestry,  or  congregation,  which  Article 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  79 

has  not  been  altered,  and  no  attempt  has  been  made 
to  alter  the  same  in  such  manner  as  such  Constitution 
provides,  nor  can  the  same  be  altered  or  amended  by 
a  majority  of  the  Convention,  so  as  to  exclude  this 
church  from  a  right  to  representation  in  the  Conven- 
tions of  the  Diocese: 

Second.  That  said  Constitution  does  not  confer 
power  or  authority  upon  a  Diocesan  Convention  to 
require  collections  or  contributions  from  churches, 
nor  grant  authority  to  prescribe  the  subjects,  terms, 
or  occasions  upon  which  the  offerings  of  churches 
shall  be  made,  nor  confer  power  to  punish  by  dis- 
franchisement any  church  which  may  neglect,  or 
refuse  requirements  in  regard  to  such  church  offerings 
which  may  be  made  by  said  Convention,  whether  in 
form  of  Canon,  or  otherwise. 

Third.  That  such  Canon,  or  amendments  of 
Canons  regulating  collections  for  specified,  or  gener- 
al objects  were  and  are  unauthorized  by  said  Con- 
stitution, and  are  not  only  in  conflict  therewith,  but 
are  an  infringement  upon  the  rights  of  the  churches, 
and  as  such  are  unconstitutional,  and  should  be 
held  and  treated  as  null  and  void.  That  as  the 
Diocesan  Convention  is  composed  of  an  aggregate 
of  churches,  and  churches  are  but  an  aggregate  of 
individuals,  any  attempt  to  prescribe  the  particu- 
lar objects  for  which  parish  collections  shall  be  made, 
or  the  agencies  through  which  they  shall  be  made, 
under  grave  penalties,  is  an  infringement  of  the 
liberty  of  the  individual  which  no  church  can  toler- 
ate, and  retain  the  love,  respect  and  confidence  of  its 
members. 

The  vestry    of  St.    George's   Church   had    made  a 
similar  protest  the  year  before. 

|1^  In  deference  to  these  protests  the  committee  on  canons 
recommended  and  the  convention  adopted  a  resolution 
that  Section  3  of  Canon  IV  be  amended  by  striking  out 


80  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

those  lines  which  constituted  the  amendment  to  the 
Canon  of  1867  and  which  made  obligatory  contribu- 
tions from  all  churches  for  specific  objects.  Canon  XV 
remained  unchanged. 

The  vestry  having  thought  it  desirable  that  the  finan- 
cial condition  of  the  parish  should  be  fully  understood 
by  the  people,  requested  the  rector  to  make  a  state- 
ment to  the  congregation,  which  he  did  on  October  11th, 
1868,  as  follows: 

The  Rector,  Church  Wardens  and  Vestrymen 
of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  at  their  meet- 
ing on  October  5th,  1868,  unanimously  resolved 
that  the  following  statement  should  be  made  to 
their  friends  and  brethren  of  the  congregation 
whom  they  represent. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  in  July,  1863,  when 
the  present  site  was  purchased  for  the  church 
edifice,  the  adjoining  lot  on  the  north  was  secured 
through  the  kind  contribution  of  $2,000  by  several 
members  of  the  parish,  for  the  purpose  of  a  rec- 
tory at  the  cost  of  $12,000. 

The  remaining  ten  thousand  dollars  remain  as 
a  mortgage  upon  the  parsonage  lot,  involving  the 
yearly  expenditure  of  $700.  During  the  last  five 
years  this  lot  has  greatly  enhanced  in  value,  and 
the  corporation  of  the  church  have,  with  great 
unanimity,  deemed  it  their  duty  to  improve  it  by 
the  erection  of  a  substantial  rectory  at  a  cost  of 
$31,000. 

To  accomplish  this  desirable  result,  and  in 
order  also  to  pay  off  certain  large  assessments 
upon  the  church  for  the  new  pavement,  etc.,  the 
corporation,  after  due  deliberation,  have  deter- 
mined to  raise  $38,000  by  bond  and  mortgage 
upon  the  church. 

The  interest  of  this  sum,  after  deducting  the 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  81 

annual  payment  of  $1,500  now  paid  to  the  rector 
as  a  commutation  for  house  rent,  will  increase 
the  annual  expenses  of  the  parish  by  the  amount 
of  $1,100.  In  order  to  defray  these  increased 
liabilities,  it  is  proposed  to  devote  the  collections 
of  the  second  and  fourth  Sundays  of  each  month 
to  the  payment  of  the  interest  and  principal  of 
the  mortgage,  so  as  to  liquidate,  in  time,  the 
whole  indebtedness  of  the  parish. 

The  Rector,  Church  Wardens  and  Vestry  have 
the  fullest  confidence  that  this  congregation  will 
cordially  endorse  the  important  step,  which,  in 
consideration  of  the  present  and  future  interests 
of  the  parish,  they  have  unanimously  taken. 

With  the  proposed  mortgage  of  $38,000  upon 
the  church  edifice  the  entire  incumbrance  upon 
the  property  of  the  corporation  will  amount  to 
$57,000. 

Early  in  this  year  the  rector  announced  to  his  people 
that  he  had  decided  to  introduce  the  weekly  offertory 
as  a  means  of  increasing  the  revenue  of  the  parish. 

One  of  the  many  charities  of  our  Church  in  which  Dr. 
Montgomery  was  greatly  interested  was  that  known  as 
"The  Sheltering  Arms."  The  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  M. 
Peters  had  inaugurated  this  work  in  1864,  by  taking  into 
his  own  house  a  number  of  little  children  and  caring  for 
them.  These  children  were  from  the  class  which  for 
various  reasons  could  not  be  received  into  any  of  the 
public  institutions. 

Knowing  the  love  of  Dr.  Montgomery  for  little 
children,  we  are  not  surprised  to  find  that  he  took  great 
interest  in  this  philanthropic  enterprise.  Naturally,  he 
encouraged  his  people  to  aid  this  work,  and  so  we  find 
recorded  in  the  first  report  of  the  trustees  of  "The  Shel- 
tering Arms,"  in  1866,  a  contribution  of  $216.01  from  the 


82  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Church  of  the  Incarnation  Sunday-school;  and  one  of 
$50  from  Miss  Van  Home's  class  in  the  same  school.  In 
the  year  following  there  was  a  contribution  from  the 
parish  Sunday-school  of  $445.62  for  the  extension  of  the 
building;  and  for  current  expenses  there  was  contributed 
$221.28;  from  the  Easter  offering  of  the  Sunday-school, 
$746.28;  from  the  Mission  Sunday-School,  $28.28;  and 
also  from  the  Church  of  the  Reconciliation,  $39.89. 
Thus  in  one  year,  from  this  parish,  nearly  $1,500  was 
given  to  'The  Sheltering  Arms,'  exclusive  of  many 
individual  gifts  from  members  of  the  congregation. 

The  total  contributions  from  the  parish  for  various 
objects  this  year  amounted  to  $79,805.16;  and  this  was 
the  first  year  after  the  consecration  of  the  new  church, 
when  extraordinary  expenses  had  been  incurred  in  build- 
ing and  furnishing  and  in  the  purchase  of  a  rectory  lot. 
If  future  years  did  not  confirm  the  promise  that  "they 
who  water  others  shall  themselves  be  watered,"  it 
would  be  most  surprising. 

In  1869  Dr.  Montgomery  became  a  member  of  the 
board  of  trustees  of  'The  Sheltering  Arms,'  and  so  contin- 
ued until  his  death.  Increasing  interest  on  the  part  of 
liis  parishioners  in  the  work  to  which  he  was  so  enthu- 
siastically attached  through  all  the  years  of  his  rector- 
ship, was  to  be  expected.  One  project  which  he  had  in 
mind  in  connection  with  this  work,  and  which  was  very 
dear  to  his  heart,  was  the  establishment  of  an  "  Innocents' 
Hospital." 

When  Dr.  Muhlenberg,  in  1853,  founded  St.  Luke's 
Hospital,  it  was  the  first  church  hospital  in  the  city, 
and  the  only  one  throughout  the  country  which  had 
a  separate  ward  for  little  children.  This  ward  was 
on  the  top  floor  of  the  hospital  building.  Fifty-fourth 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  83 

Street  and  Fifth  Avenue.  It  was  the  most  attractive 
feature  of  the  institution.  Something  like  this  Dr. 
Montgomery  had  hoped  to  see  in  one  of  the  buildings  to 
be  erected  upon  the  property  of  "The  Sheltering  Arms." 

In  1869  the  children  were  removed  from  Dr.  Peters' 
house  to  a  building  which  had  been  erected  in  One  Hun- 
dred and  Twenty-ninth  Street  near  Tenth  Avenue.  This 
charity  for  the  sheltering  of  homeless  children  appealed 
strongly  to  the  churches  throughout  the  city.  At  the 
suggestion  of  Dr.  Montgomery  a  great  bazaar  (patterned 
after  the  Sanitary  Fair  of  1865)  was  organized  in  1870, 
to  provide  money  to  pay  for  the  new  building.  Associ- 
ated with  Dr.  Montgomery,  who  was  chairman  of  the 
general  organization,  and  one  of  the  principal  promoters 
of  the  bazaar,  was  his  brother,  James  Eglinton  Montgom- 
ery, chairman  of  the  executive  committee;  and  under  him 
were  a  large  number  of  volunteers,  both  men  and  women. 
Dr.  Montgomery's  parishioners  became  especially  in- 
terested. Mr.  Woodbury  G.  Langdon,  who  later  was  a 
vestryman  of  the  church,  was  very  active  in  carrying  the 
project  to  a  successful  issue.  Many  of  the  churches  in 
the  city  were  represented  by  tables,  presided  over  by  the 
young  women  of  their  congregations.  The  result  was 
most  gratifying,  and  the  bazaar  netted  $52,000  for  the 
building  fund;  an  astonishing  profit,  in  those  days,  of  a 
philanthropic  enterprise,  and  one  which  for  ten  years 
remained  second  only  to  that  of  the  Sanitary  Fair  itself. 
The  bazaar  was  held  in  the  armory  of  the  Seventy-first 
Regiment  in  West  Thirty-fifth  Street.  It  was  open  from 
Monday  to  Saturday,  and  resembled  a  great  department 
store  with  the  added  attraction  of  a  loan  collection  of 
valuable  paintings.  The  receipts  from  the  Incarnation 
table  and  "post  office"  were  $7,234. 


84  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Mr.  Langdon,  writing  of  this  bazaar,  says:  "Dr. 
Montgomery  was  the  soul  of  the  enterprise,  devoting 
both  thought,  time  and  cheering  words,  as  well  as  his 
personal  presence,  to  the  undertaking.  When  on  Satur- 
day night  the  tired,  but  happy  workers,  left  the  armory 
it  was  with  hearty  hand-shakes,  deep  satisfaction  at 
difficult  work  well  done,  and  with  most  sincere  expres- 
sions of  admiration  and  gratitude  to  Dr.  Montgomery, 
who  had  conceived  the  undertaking,  had  secured  the 
co-operation  of  a  majority  of  the  rectors  of  Episcopal 
churches  in  the  city,  and  had  induced  his  brother,  who 
was  the  ever-present,  ever-active  'head  and  hands,'  to 
carry  out  the  undertaking  which  had  been  planned  by  him ." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Peters,  president  of  The  Sheltering  Arms, 
thus  alluded  to  Dr.  Montgomery's  influence  and  personal 
services  in  behalf  of  that  charity: 

"No  one  has  a  larger  claim  on  our  gratitude  for  bene- 
fits rendered;  and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  but  for  his  ac- 
tivity and  sympathy,  we  should  not  be  rejoicing  today,  in 
the  possession  of  our  valuable  property  entirely  unen- 
cumbered." 

The  parish  sustained  a  loss  by  the  death  of  Mr.  George 
F.  Nesbitt  in  April,  1869.  Mr.  Nesbitt  had  been  a 
member  of  the  parish  from  its  organization,  a  vestryman 
since  1853,  and  its  treasurer  for  the  past  ten  years. 
At  the  time  of  his  death  Mr.  Nesbitt  was  also  the  junior 
warden  of  the  parish,  which  office  he  had  held  since  1865, 
and  for  several  years  had  been  a  delegate  to  the  diocesan 
convention. 

The  vestry  expressed  their  sympathy  with  the  family, 
and  placed  on  record  "their  cordial  affection  for  their 
departed  fellow  member,  their  high  estimate  of  his  ex- 
cellence as  a  citizen  and  a  church  officer,  and  their 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  85 

sorrowful  sense  of  the  loss  which  the  parish  of  the  Incar- 
nation had  sustained  by  his  departure  from  the  scene  of 
his  earthly  labors," 

Turning  our  thoughts  now  to  the  chapel  we  recall 
that  the  Church  of  the  Reconciliation  was  received  into 
union  with  the  diocese  in  September,  1863.  The  Rev. 
Mr.  Chipman  continued  its  rector  until  January,  1864. 
His  ministry  of  three  years  was  acceptable  to  the  people, 
and  gave  satisfaction  to  the  board  of  managers  and  to  the 
rector  of  the  parish. 

Upon  his  resignation  the  Rev.  William  B.  Morrow 
took  charge  of  the  work  in  May,  1864.  His  rectorship 
was  short,  but  judging  from  the  records  of  the  board  of 
managers  he  proved  himself  an  excellent  worker,  and  his 
departure  within  six  months  was  greatly  regretted.  His 
brief  administration  had  proven  so  satisfactory  that  the 
board  of  managers  passed  a  special  vote  of  thanks  for  his 
excellent  services,  and  accompanied  the  same  with  a  gift 
of  $100. 

The  Rev.  Benjamin  S.  Huntington  immediately  suc- 
ceeded Mr.  Morrow  in  January,  1865,  and  remained  for 
eighteen  months.  Upon  his  resignation  the  Rev.  William 
Percy  Browne  took  charge  in  July,  1866.  He  reported 
that  the  outlook  was  discouraging  because  the  people 
were  not  able  to  meet  expenses,  and,  having  received  a 
call  to  another  parish,  he  resigned  in  May,  1867.  During 
the  interregnum,  the  Rev.  J.  G.  B.  Heath  officiated.  In 
October  of  that  year  the  Rev.  Nathaniel  L.  Briggs  was 
chosen  rector.  He  was  greatly  beloved  by  his  people, 
and  made  every  effort  to  build  up  the  work.  The 
late  financial  panic  had  seriously  crippled  all  classes 
in  the  community,  and  after  two  years'  experience  with  a 
congregation   which   had   become   discouraged   by   the 


86  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

financial  burdens  they  had  assumed,  and  which  lacked 
the  ability  to  meet  their  pledges  for  the  rector's  salary, 
Mr.  Briggs  advised  his  people  to  dissolve  their  organiza- 
tion, and  apply  to  the  vestry  of  the  Incarnation  to  be 
received  back  as  a  mission. 

In  accordance  with  this  request  of  the  rector  and  the 
congregation  worshipping  in  the  Church  of  the  Recon- 
ciliation, the  vestry  of  the  Incarnation,  March  30th, 
1869,  passed  the  following  resolution: 

Resolved:  That  the  corporation  of  the  Church  of 
the  Incarnation  resume  charge  of  the  chapel  in 
Thirty-first  Street  near  Second  Avenue  and  recall 
the  consent  given  the  congregation  to  organize  an 
independent  corporation,  said  chapel  to  be  known 
hereafter  as  the  Chapel  of  the  Incarnation. 

The  Rev.  N.  L.  Briggs,  who  at  the  time  was  rector  of 
the  Church  of  the  Reconciliation,  was  elected  an  assistant 
minister  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  and  continued 
to  have  charge  of  its  mission  chapel  until  April,  1871, 
when  he  resigned  to  accept  the  rectorship  of  Christ 
Church,  Bridgeport,  Conn. 

The  Rev.  Robert  W.  Barnwell  Elliott,  who  succeeded 
Mr.  Briggs,  remained  in  charge  from  April,  1871,  until 
October  of  that  year.  At  this  time  quite  extensive  re- 
pairs were  made  in  the  chapel  in  order  to  accommodate 
the  increasing  congregation  and  the  large  Sunday-school. 
Mr.  Elliott  afterward  became  Missionary  Bishop  of 
Western  Texas. 

The  Rev.  William  T.  Egbert  was  elected  by  the  board 
of  managers  to  take  charge  of  the  chapel  for  one  year 
from  November  1st,  1871.  Dr.  Montgomery  commends 
the  life  and  vigor  of  the  mission  at  this  time,  under  their 
eflficient  pastor. 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  87 

Upon  his  resignation  he  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  E. 
SoHday  Widdemer,  who  in  1872  was  elected  an  assistant 
minister  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  to  have  special 
charge  of  the  mission  work  at  the  chapel,  and  to  assist 
the  rector  at  the  parish  church  as  occasion  should  require. 

Although  by  resolution  of  the  vestry,  March  30th, 
1869,  the  Church  of  the  Reconciliation  as  a  corporation 
had  ceased  to  exist,  yet  the  name  was  continued  upon  the 
convention  roll  of  "churches  in  union  with  the  diocese." 
Those  who  were  members  of  that  congregation  continu- 
ed to  reside  in  the  neighborhood;  their  children  had 
been  baptized  and  confirmed  in  the  Church  of  the 
Reconciliation,  and  they  themselves  had  been  ministered 
to  by  its  several  rectors.  No  resolution  of  the  vestry 
could  obliterate  the  name  of  the  "Reconciliation"  from 
the  hearts  and  memories  of  thousands  who  had  learned 
to  love  the  little  vine-clad  church.  Even  at  this  day 
many  people  allude  with  loving  thought  to  the  work 
done    for  them  by  "The  Church  of  the  Reconciliation." 

How  did  it  get  this  name.''  The  same  question,  we 
recall,  was  asked  regarding  the  parent  church.  Fortu- 
nately we  have  it  stated  in  a  sermon  by  Dr.  Montgomery 
that,  having  been  consulted  in  this  matter,  he  made  the 
remark  that  "Incarnation  is  the  child  of  Grace;  and  the 
fruit  of  the  Incarnation  is  Reconciliation."  That  happy 
thought  was  acted  upon  and  the  name  adopted. 

It  had  been  the  expectation  of  Dr.  Montgomery,  in 
planting  a  mission  chapel  on  the  east  side,  that  it  would 
eventually  become  a  self-supporting  congregation,  as 
was  the  case  with  the  Mission  of  Grace.  The  choice  of 
location,  however,  was  unfavorable  for  such  develop- 
ment, and  it  has  continued  to  lean  upon  the  parent 
church,  more  or  less,  since  its  establishment. 


88  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Admiral  David  Glascow  Farragut,  U.  S.  N.,  a  warm 
personal  friend  of  the  rector,  was  a  regular  attendant  at 
the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  of  which  he  was  a  com- 
municant, and  also  a  member  of  its  board  of  man- 
agers of  the  Home  Mission.  He  was  born  in  Tennessee, 
July  5th,  1801,  and  died  in  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  August 
14th,  1870.  At  the  funeral  service  held  in  the  old  his- 
toric St.  John's  Church  in  that  city  on  August  18th,  Dr. 
Montgomery  delivered  an  address.  The  rector  of  the 
church  was  the  Rev.  Rufus  W.  Clark,  who  had  been  an 
assistant  minister  at  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation  in 
1867. 

We  make  the  following  extract  from  Dr.  Montgomery's 
address : 

"One  of  the  great  salient  features  of  the  man  was  his 
love  of  truth.  From  his  inmost  depths  he  abhorred  the 
unreal  and  the  false.  This  high-toned  Christian  gentle- 
man, this  Bayard  of  the  sea, '  without  fear,  and  without 
reproach,'  was  the  very  soul  of  sincerity.  They  who 
knew  him  most  intimately  can  testify  how  he  spoke  and 
lived  'the  truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing  but  the 
truth.'  In  this  characteristic,  as  in  his  modesty  and 
freedom  from  ostentation,  history  will  rank  the  distin- 
guished dead  with  Wellington  and  Washington.  His 
exploit  at  Mobile,  presiding  from  his  lofty  post  of  danger 
over  the  battle,  is  typical  of  his  position  in  the  nation. 
Here  I  desire  to  state  a  fact  that  has  never  been  before 
known  to  the  country.  In  that  decisive  moment  of  that 
decisive  conflict,  while  lashed  fast  aloft  in  his  eyrie  on 
the  ship,  Farragut  offered  a  prayer  in  substance:  *0  God, 
my  Maker,  in  this  time  of  trial  show  me  my  duty  to  my 
country.'  He  seemed  to  hear  a  voice  from  above  telling 
him  to  go  forward.     He  obeyed  the  high  behest  of  duty. 


MURAL  TABLET 

Admiral  Farraaut 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  89 

and  he  conquered.  In  his  lofty  moral  elevation  in  the 
ship  of  state  he  teaches  this  lesson  to  our  youth,  that  the 
man  who  obeys  the  high  behest  of  duty, 

' — with  toil  of  heart  and  knees  and  hands 
Shall  find  the  toppling  crags  of  duty  scaled, 

Are  close  upon  the  shining  table-lands 
To  which  our  God  Himself  is  moon  and  sun.' 

"At  this  solemn  moment,  let  me  mention  an  incident 
which  well  illustrates  the  simplicity  of  the  departed: 

"A  few  months  since,  as  his  pastor,  I  spoke  to  the 
Admiral  about  the  duty  of  receiving  the  Holy  Commu- 
nion. I  said  to  him :  *  Sir,  it  is  a  divine  command,  and 
you  who  are  accustomed  to  the  implicit  obedience  of  a 
man-of-war  should  not  hesitate  a  moment  in  complying 
humbly  and  devoutly  with  the  institution  of  our  adorable 
Redeemer.'  He  at  once  assented  to  the  argument,  and 
two  days  thereafter  partook,  with  the  spirit  of  a  little 
child,  of  the  sacrament  of  our  Redemption." 

The  vestry  of  the  Incarnation  very  gladly  accorded 
permission  to  the  Loyal  Legion  of  the  United  States  to 
place  upon  the  church  wall  a  marble  monument  to  the 
memory  of  one  who  had  rendered  most  distinguished 
service  to  his  country. 

The  beautiful  monument  of  white  marble  executed  by 
Launt  Thompson  represents  the  prow  of  a  battleship 
above  which  is  a  medallion  portrait  of  Admiral  Farragut. 
At  the  ceremony  of  unveiling  this  memorial  on  the 
evening  of  December  10th,  1873,  Dr.  Montgomery  said: 

"It  is  with  peculiar  pleasure  that,  on  behalf  of  the 
authorities  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  I  accept 
through  you,  the  honored  Commander  of  the  New  York 
Commandery  of  the  military  order  of  the  Loyal  Legion 
of  the  United  States,  the  custody  of  this  chaste  and 
beautiful  mural  tablet  forever  sacred  to  the  memory  of 


90  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Farragut.  Our  great  first  Admiral,  it  is  true,  possesses  a 
monument  more  endearing  in  the  hearts  of  his  country- 
men and  in  the  respect  of  Christendom.  The  mural 
tablet  reflects  great  credit  upon  the  taste  of  the  designer, 
and  upon  the  skill  of  the  workmen  who  have  so  thorough- 
ly carried  out  the  idea  of  the  sculptor.  It  is  simply 
beautiful  and  beautifully  simple.  The  features  of  the 
late  Admiral  are  chiselled  with  great  fidelity. 

"The  prow  of  the  battleship  on  which  the  medallion 
rests  is  at  once  suggestive  of  the  field  on  which  the 
illustrious  Captain  earned  his  richly  merited  fame, 
while  the  insignia  and  inscriptions  are  in  perfect  harmony 
with  the  unity  of  the  whole  design,  and  with  the  oflScial 
rank  of  the  person  whom  it  commemorates. 

"This  church,  as  you  yourself  justly  observe,  is  the 
most  appropriate  place  for  the  conservation  of  such  a 
monument.  Here  the  loved  and  lamented  Admiral  did, 
indeed,  worship  'humbly  as  a  little  child.'  It  was  in 
this  parish  that  he  knelt  to  receive  with  obedient  faith 
the  sacrament  of  our  redemption. 

"General,  in  those  words,  'humble  as  a  little  child,'  you 
have  struck  the  keynote  of  the  character  of  the  departed 
patriot;  in  perfect  accordance  therewith  was  the  delight 
he  ever  took  in  the  children's  services  in  the  church. 

"The  rising  generation  as  they  look  upon  the  cenotaph, 
and  recall  the  man  for  whom  it  was  constructed,  can 
hardly  fail  to  profit  by  the  lesson  of  the  great  Admiral's 
life,  that  the 'path  of  duty  is  the  way  to  glory.' 

"The  monumental  marble  you  have  erected  will  also 
serve  to  recall  one  of  the  heroic  periods  of  our  national 
history,  when  myriads  of  men  sprang  to  arms  at  the  cry 
of  their  country  in  distress,  and  legions  of  devoted  women 
dispensed  their  sweet  charities  to  the  wounded  in  the 


INTERIOR  OF  THE  CHURCH,  187^ 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  91 

hospitals  and  on  the  battle  plains,  after  the  example  of 
that  noble  Nightingale  of  our  mother  land. 

"While  the  hands  of  affection  have  conserved  Farra- 
gut's  memorial  in  the  earthly  temple,  the  angels  of  the 
living  God  have  taken  the  spirit  of  the  noble  patriot  to 
the  'house  not  made  with  hands  eternal  in  the  heavens.'  " 

The  Diocesan  convention  met  on  September  28th, 
1870,  in  St.  John's  Chapel,  Varick  Street,  New  York. 
The  sermon  was  preached  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Mont- 
gomery from  the  text:  "Who  hath  made  us  able  min- 
isters of  the  New  Testament."  (2  Corinthians  III:  6th 
verse.) 

At  this  same  session  Dr.  Montgomery  was  made  chair- 
man of  the  Missionary  Committee  of  the  diocese,  of 
which  body  he  had  been  a  member  since  1856;  and  he 
retained  this  office  until  his  decease. 

Mr.  Riley  A.  Brick,  a  communicant  and  an  active 
member  of  the  board  of  the  Home  Mission,  became 
superintendent  of  the  mission  Sunday-school  in  1860. 
Upon  his  retirement  from  that  office  after  eleven  years 
of  devoted  service,  his  associates  on  the  board,  in  accept- 
ing his  resignation,  requested  the  rector  to  convey  to 
him  officially  their  appreciation  of  his  long  and  faithful 
service.  The  letter  addressed  to  him  by  the  rector  was 
as  follows: 

My  dear  friend:  The  Board  of  Trustees  of  the 
Home  Mission  at  their  meeting  on  Friday  evening 
last  commissioned  me  to  perform  the  very  agreeable 
duty  of  returning  you  their  hearty  thanks  for  the 
great  zeal  and  devotion  which  you  have  manifested 
in  conducting  the  Mission  Sunday-school  for  the 
period  of  eleven  years. 

In  accepting  with  profound  regret  your  resigna- 
tion of  the  trust  which  you  have  discharged  with 


92  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

such  distinguished  ability  and  success,  the  Trustees 
resolve  to  place  on  record  their  deep  conviction  of  the 
love  of  souls  which  has  characterized  your  long  and 
loving  ministrations  in  the  Mission  Sunday-school 
field.  They  have  directed  a  minute  to  be  entered 
on  their  journal  embodying  the  substance  of  their 
letter  to  you.  Commending  you  to  God,  and  the 
Word  of  His  Grace, 

I  am,  my  dear  sir, 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

H.  E.  MONTGOMERY. 

In  a  sermon  in  1870  the  rector  says:  "Although  the 
past  successes  of  this  powerful  parish  elicit  congratula- 
tions and  inspire  gratitude  for  God's  loving  kindness,  we 
must  not  by  any  means  count  that  we  have  attained 
perfection.  A  great  deal  remains  to  be  accomplished. 
We  have  a  debt  upon  the  property  which  the  church  is 
well  able  to  bear;  still  it  is  an  incumbrance  which  ought 
to  be  removed.  We  have  the  tower  to  build,  and  a  spire 
to  point,  with  a  cross,  towards  heaven,  and  for  this  object 
two  subscriptions  have  been  received.  They  that  pass 
by  must  not  always  be  permitted  to  say:  'These  people 
began  to  build,  but  they  were  not  able  to  finish.'  The 
spandrils,  as  they  are  called,  to  fill  up  the  vacant  spaces 
between  the  beams  and  the  roof  are  still  to  be  inserted, 
and  even  when  these  essential  things  shall  have  been 
done,  the  sanctuary  may  be  benefited  and  improved  in 
many  ways.  Who  of  you  all,  my  dear  and  valued  flock, 
will  begin  the  nucleus  of  a  Church  Improvement  Fund?" 

The  congregation  always  had  before  them  some  object 
for  which  to  work.  We  find  therefore  that  in  the  year 
following  the  rector  reiterates  what  he  had  said,  and  had 
the  pleasure  of  adding  that  "for  the  formation  of  a 
Church  Improvement  Fund  a  small  nucleus  already  ex- 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  93 

ists  from  individuals  towards  the  erection  of  the  tower." 
Thus  readily  did  his  people  respond  to  his  call. 

Young  men  studying  for  the  ministry  were  objects  of 
special  interest  to  Dr.  Montgomery.  In  this  connection 
we  may  note  that  Mr.  Haslett  McKim,  a  candidate 
for  Holy  Orders  from  Virginia,  pursuing  his  studies  in 
this  city,  had  on  many  occasions  assisted  the  rector  as 
lay  reader.  The  vestry  signed  the  papers  required  for 
his  ordination  by  the  Bishop  of  Virginia.  In  order  to 
comply  with  a  canon,  which  requires  that  before  ordina- 
tion the  bishop  shall  be  assured  of  a  deacon  being  official- 
ly connected  with  some  parish,  Mr.  McKim  was  at  the 
rector's  request,  elected  an  assistant  minister  of  the 
Church  of  the  Incarnation. 

Mr.  Reverdy  Estill,  a  student  in  the  General  Theologi- 
cal Seminary,  had  assisted  Dr.  Montgomery  as  a  lay 
worker  in  the  parish;  and  in  1872  the  vestry  signed  his 
canonical  certificate  in  order  that  he  might  be  ordained 
by  his  bishop  in  the  diocese  of  Georgia.  Soon  after  his 
ordination  Mr.  Estill  became  rector  of  St.  Philip's 
Church,  Atlanta. 

The  rector  gratefully  praises  the  work  which  the  Ladies' 
Benevolent  Society  had  done  during  the  years  past,  and 
says  "they  still  depend  upon  the  large  personal  exertions 
of  comparatively  the  faithful  few.  A  Western  Relief 
Association  was  formed  last  autumn  for  the  supply  of 
money  and  garments  to  the  people  rendered  homeless  and 
penniless  by  the  fearful  fires.  This  very  practical  and 
zealous  society,  combined  with  some  of  the  ladies  with 
the  Church  of  the  Holy  Saviour  in  this  city,  sent  with 
great  dispatch  a  number  of  packing  cases,  stored  by  their 
own  hands,  containing  thousands  of  garments  to  Illinois, 
Wisconsin  and  Michigan,  besides  considerable  sums  of 


94  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

money  for  hospital  use,  and  for  relief  of  immediate 
necessities  in  the  fire-plagued  districts.  I  record  with 
cordial  gratitude  that  never  is  a  case  of  genuine  distress 
made  known  to  the  members  of  the  Incarnation  that 
money  is  not  forthcoming,  and  that  kind  hearts  and  ready 
hands  and  feet  are  not  offered  to  perform  the  ministry  of 
benevolence." 

"Of  course,"  the  rector  says,  "I  can  take  no  account  of 
the  many  thousands  of  dollars  that  are  given  privately 
to  those  who  are  dependent  upon  our  benevolence,  at 
home,  or  seek  it,  in  this  generous  city,  from  abroad. 

The  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  Decatur,  Nebraska,  is 
a  namesake  of  this  parish .  At  the  time  of  its  formation 
Dr.  Montgomery  had  interested  his  people  in  the  mis- 
sionary work  of  Bishop  Clarkson,  and  the  Church  at 
Decatur  having  been  largely  assisted  financially,  was 
consecrated  under  the  name  of  the  Incarnation,  in  grate- 
ful recognition  of  its  New  York  benefactor. 

During  the  latter  part  of  Dr.  Montgomery's  rectorship 
the  music  of  the  church  was  a  notable  feature.  Under 
the  direction  of  Gen.  Charles  Dodge  the  quartette  of 
singers  comprised  Franz  Remmertz,  basso;  Henry  Bis- 
choff,  tenor;  Mrs.  William  O.  Brown,  soprano;  and  Miss 
Anna  Bulkley,  contralto. 

The  services  of  Gen.  Dodge,  who  was  a  fine  musician, 
were  highly  appreciated  by  the  congregation,  and  pleas- 
ant memories  are  still  retained  among  the  older  parish- 
ioners of  his  efficient  services  at  the  organ. 

The  mission  chapel  was  ever  in  the  thoughts  of  the 
good  rector.  It  was  his  first  project  after  having  estab- 
lished himself  in  the  hearts  of  his  people,  to  provide  for 
the  spiritual  destitution  existing  on  the  east  side  of  the 
city.     His  last  thoughts  were  for  the  advancement  of 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  95 

the  work  under  his  chosen  missionary  and  coadjutor. 
The  last  appeal  that  Dr.  Montgomery  was  privileged  to 
make  in  behalf  of  the  chapel  work,  was  on  January  18th, 
1874,  in  his  sixteenth  annual  report  to  the  congregation. 
In  it  he  says,  "The  mission  has  so  strongly  rooted  itself 
in  the  neighborhood  that  your  Board  believes  no  wiser 
step  could  be  taken,  when  the  funds  are  provided,  than 
erecting  a  substantial  chapel  which  in  the  course  of  time, 
with  the  ministry  of  a  faithful  pastor,  will  become  self- 
supporting.  The  principle  of  self-support  is  most  heart- 
ily endorsed.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Widdemer,  by  a  judicious 
introduction,  last  spring,  of  the  envelope  system,  has 
considerably  increased  the  contributions  of  the  congrega- 
tion of  the  mission  itself.  We  recommend  that  those 
who  were  the  first  in  the  Incarnation  to  inaugurate  the 
mission,  the  ladies  and  the  Sunday-school  scholars,  should 
now  be  the  first  to  secure  the  means  for  the  new  building. 
They  have  ways  and  means  which  their  ingenuity  will  sug- 
gest, to  begin  the  nucleus  of  a  fund,  say  $25,000,  for  this 
now  necessary  work.  I  am  sure  we  shall  all  be  ready  to 
lend  a  helping  hand.  I  trust  the  'sine  qua  non' of  the  pro j- 
ect  will  be  the  money  subscribed  before  the  work  is 
begun.  For  one,  I  wish  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  it 
except  on  a  cash  basis." 

The  sermon  which  Dr.  Montgomery  preached  on  the 
morning  of  Sunday,  October  11th,  1874,  was  one  which 
made  a  lasting  impression  upon  all  his  hearers.  This  was 
the  last  Sunday  that  his  voice  was  heard  in  the  sanctuary, 
and  his  words  seem  to  be  almost  prophetic  of  his  com- 
ing departure.  The  subject  was:  "The  Mystery  of 
Death,"  the  text  being  Ecclesiastes  III:  21. 

"The  text,"  said  the  preacher,  "introduces  to  us  the 
consideration  of  one  of  the  most  mysterious  and  vexing 
problems  that  have  ever  agitated  the  mind  of  man,  the 


96  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

condition  of  the  soul  immediately  on  its  departure  from 
the  body.  It  would  seem  that  our  Christian  faith  in  the 
resurrection  of  the  body  is  but  the  logical  consequence, 
the  highest  expression  of  the  belief  in  the  immortality  of 
man.  The  Christian  faith  bids  us  look  forward  to  the 
resurrection  of  that  body  whose  face  has  so  long  worn  the 
impress  of  the  soul ;  and  this  risen  body  transfigured  into 
a  glorious  likeness  shall  testify  to  our  perfect  immor- 
tality." 

In  closing  the  preacher  said, "Dear  brethren,  engrossed 
as  we  are  with  material  things,  leading  a  busy  and  dis- 
tracted life,  we  are  accustomed  to  look  at  the  realities  of 
eternity  as  afar  off;  to  contemplate  our  future  destiny  as 
through  those  optic  glasses  that  represent  an  intermin- 
able perspective;  to  entertain  the  idea  that  between  the 
present  moment  and  the  thrilling  scenes  of  the  next  world 
a  million,  or  at  least  a  myriad,  of  years  of  insensibility 
must  intervene.  There  is  no  scriptural  warrant  for  such 
a  vain  conceit.  The  instant  your  soul  takes  its  ever- 
lasting flight  it  goes  to  its  appointed  region  of  joy  or 
sorrow. 

"It  is  a  solemn  thought,  that  ought  to  dismiss  all 
levity,  that  should  make  us  not  sad,  but  serious,  that 
every  individual  is  just  as  near  to  eternity,  as  to  his 
grave;  and  that  distance  cannot  be  very  great.  The 
hour  of  your  entrance  upon  one  or  the  other  of  those  two 
states,  betwixt  which  'the  great  gulf  is  fixed,'  is  not  a 
moment  more  distant  than  the  day  of  your  death. 
Were  your  souls  to  be  summoned  this  night,  ere  the 
morning  is  spread  upon  the  mountains,  you  would  either 
be  rejoicing  in  heaven,  or  mourning  in  perdition.  Hear 
the  conclusion  of  the  whole  matter,  therefore.  Live  not 
for  this  world,  but  for  eternity.     Let  the  soul's  salvation 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  97 

be  the  supreme  object.  Remember  that  the  'world 
passeth  away,  and  the  lust  thereof,  but  he  that  doeth  the 
will  of  God,  abideth  forever.'  'So  pass  the  time  of  your 
sojourning  here,'  'setting  your  affections  upon  things 
above,'  and  communing  daily  with  Jesus,  that  Heaven 
may  indeed  be  your  home;  and  that  when  the  time 
shall  come  for  the  spirit  to  forsake  its  tabernacle,  you 
may  speed  just  as  naturally  to  the  Saviour's  bosom  as  a 
child  to  its  mother's  breast." 

The  General  Convention  of  our  Church  met  in  New 
York  in  1874  and  held  its  opening  session  in  St.  John's 
Chapel,  on  October  5th.  The  Rt.  Rev.  Dr.  Selwyn, 
Lord  Bishop  of  Litchfield,  England,  was  the  preacher. 

There  were  many  matters  of  absorbing  interest  brought 
before  the  convention  during  its  session,  pertaining  to 
the  welfare  of  the  Church,  but  perhaps  the  most  inter- 
esting of  all  was  the  nomination  by  the  House  of  Bishops, 
and  confirmation  by  the  convention,  of  four  missionary 
bishops,  namely:  the  Rev.  Robert  W.  Barnwell  Elliott, 
for  Western  Texas;  the  Rev.  J.  H.  D.  Wingfield,  for 
Northern  California;  The  Rev.  A.  C.  Garrett  for 
Northern  Texas;  and  the  Rev.  W.  F.  Adams  for  New 
Mexico  and  Arizona. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Montgomery,  who  was  deeply  interested 
in  all  missionary  movements  in  the  Church,  was  a  per- 
sonal friend  of  these  elected  bishops,  one  of  whom,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Elliott,  in  1871,  had  been  in  charge  of  the 
Church  of  the  Reconciliation.  As  he  could  spare  the 
time  from  his  many  pastoral  duties.  Dr.  Montgomery 
was  frequently  in  attendance  at  the  convention, 
interested  in  all  its  discussions,  and  especially  in  the 
sessions  of  the  Board  of  Missions. 


98  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

During  the  second  week  of  the  session  and  late  in  the 
evening  of  Thursday  the  15th  of  October,  Dr.  Mont- 
gomery entered  into  his  eternal  rest.  His  death  came 
unexpectedly. 

The  circumstances  attending  his  departure  were 
uneventful.  He  had  spent  the  day  in  his  usual  round  of 
parochial  duties,  and  had  returned  home  wearied,  but 
in  apparent  good  health.  About  ten  o'clock  on  Thursday 
evening  he  retired  to  his  room,  and  within  an  hour  was 
stricken  by  an  affection  of  the  heart,  and  suddenly 
expired. 

The  funeral  service  was  held  in  the  church  on  Monday 
morning,  October  19th.  Many,  both  of  clergy  and  laity, 
who  were  in  attendance  at  the  General  Convention  were 
present,  and  official  representatives  of  the  several  socie- 
ties of  which  Dr.  Montgomery  was  a  member  together 
with  the  large  number  of  his  sorrowing  parishioners, 
completely  filled  the  building. 

The  service  was  most  impressive.  The  casket  was 
borne  up  the  aisle  supported  by  eight  pall-bearers;  the 
Rev.  Drs.  Wm.  F.  Morgan  of  St.  Thomas'  Church  and 
T.  M.  Peters  of  St.  Michael's;  and  Messrs.  Walter 
Langdon,  John  Carey,  Jr.,  Henry  Eyre,  E.  M.  Archibald, 
Wm.  Alexander  SmJth  and  James  H.  Strong.  It  was 
preceded  by  Bishops  Potter  of  New  York,  Bedell  of  Ohio, 
Vail  of  Kansas,  Morris  of  Oregon,  and  Hare  of  Niobrara, 
and  followed  by  the  wardens  and  vestrymen  of  the 
church,  and  by  the  members  of  the  family.  An  address 
was  delivered  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  E.  A.  Washburn  of 
Calvary  Church. 

The  interment  took  place  on  the  day  following  in 
the  cemetery  at  Rhinebeck,  N.  Y. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  clergy  of  the  city  called  by  Bishop 


THE  KE\'.  HENRY  E.  MONTGOMERY,  D.D..   1874 
(From  the  Portrait  by  Julian  Story) 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  99 

Horatio  Potter,  held  in  the  Chapel  of  Calvary  Church, 
October  21st,  1874,  a  committee  of  five,  the  Rev.  Drs. 
E.  A.  Washburn,  T.  M.  Peters,  John  Cotton  Smith, 
Hugh  Miller  Thompson  and  the  Rev.  John  N.  Galleher, 
was  chosen  to  prepare  suitable  resolutions  on  behalf  of 
the  clergy  of  the  city,  expressing  their  sympathy  with 
the  family  of  Dr.  Montgomery,  and  with  the  parishioners 
of  the  Incarnation.  From  these  resolutions  we  quote  as 
follows : 

Resolved:  That  not  only  in  his  own  Parish,  but 
in  the  larger  field  of  the  Church,  in  City  Missions, 
and  every  branch  of  its  benevolence  at  home  or 
abroad,  we  honored  him  as  one  of  the  most  faithful 
and  untiring  of  our  Clergy,  and  while  we  bow  to  the 
wisdom  of  God  in  our  great  loss,  we  thank  Him  for 
the  remembrance  our  dear  brother  has  left  behind,  of 
so  noble  a  life,  in  the  service  of  our  Lord,  Jesus  Christ. 

Resolved:  That  the  Clergy  of  the  City  unite  in 
expressing  their  heartfelt  sympathies  with  the  family 
of  their  departed  brother,  Dr.  Henry  Eglinton  Mont- 
gomery and  with  the  Parish  of  the  Incarnation,  in 
the  sudden  and  overwhelming  Providence,  which 
has  bereaved  them  of  a  beloved  husband,  father  and 
pastor. 

At  this  meeting  of  the  clergy  the  Rev.  R.  W.  B.  Elliott, 
of  Georgia,  paid  a  glowing  tribute  to  the  memory  of  his 
deceased  friend.  He  said  it  probably  was  not  known  to 
those  present  that  during  the  late  war  there  were  in 
New  York  a  number  of  theological  students  from  the 
South,  many  of  whom  differed  from  Dr.  Montgomery  in 
their  political  and  religious  views,  who  were  assisted  by 
him  in  the  most  generous  manner,  at  a  time  when  they 
sorely  needed  help.  He  had  himself  been  of  that  num- 
ber, and  he  would  never  forget  how  Dr.  Montgomery  took 


100         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

him  by  the  hand  when  he  was  alone  and  friendless  in  this 
great  city. 

Many  of  those  present  paid  each  a  loving  tribute  to 
the  memory  of  their  departed  brother.  Bishop  Potter 
announced  that  a  memorial  service  to  the  late  Dr.  Mont- 
gomery would  soon  be  held  in  this  church  and  at  the 
request  of  the  vestry  his  intimate  friend,  the  Rt.  Rev. 
Henry  B.  Whipple,  D.D.,  Bishop  of  Minnesota,  would 
be  the  preacher.  This  service  was  held  on  Sunday 
morning,  November  8th,  1874. 

The  vestry  passed  a  resolution  of  thanks  to  Bishop 
Whipple  and  requested  the  privilege  of  printing  his 
sermon,  "in  which  he  so  admirably  and  truthfully  por- 
trayed the  character  of  the  lamented  deceased."  This 
request  Bishop  Whipple  gladly  complied  with,  character- 
ising his  sermon  as  being  "the  truthful  expression  of  my 
love  and  esteem  for  a  noble  and  true  servant  of  Jesus 
Christ." 

The  following  minute  and  resolution  in  regard  to  the 
death  of  their  late  rector  were  adopted  by  the  vestry  of 
the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  October  17th,  1874: 

Whereas,  We  are  called  upon  in  the  inscrutable 
wisdom  of  Divine  Providence,  to  mourn  the  sudden 
decease  of  our  beloved  friend  and  pastor,  Rev. 
Henry  Eglinton  Montgomery,  D.D.,  this  vestry  de- 
sire to  place  upon  its  records  a  minute  expressive 
of  their  sense  of  the  loss,  they  in  common  with  the 
whole  congregation  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation, 
have  sustained  by  this  unexpected  event.  In  mak- 
ing this  sorrowful  record  of  the  dissolution  of  a  tie 
which  has  so  closely  bound  pastor  and  people  for 
nearly  nineteen  years,  we  desire  to  record  our  thank- 
fulness to  Almighty  God  that  we  have  been  per- 
mitted through  so  long  a  time  to  enjoy   the  friend- 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  101 

ship  and  pastoral  care  of  one  who  combined  so  many 
of  the  graces  of  the  earnest  and  devoted  Christian 
minister,  who  animated  by  the  deep  responsibility 
of  his  high  office,  had  spent  his  life  in  the  service 
of  that  Saviour  whom  he  ever  felt  it  was  his  joy 
and  privilege  to  proclaim  to  his  flock.  Never  tiring 
in  zeal  or  good  works  to  advance  the  Kingdom  of 
his  Lord  and  Master,  in  service  by  the  beds  of  the 
sick  and  suffering,  as  his  trusted  friend,  the  loving 
counselor  of  his  people,  he  will  be  missed  from  the 
homes  and  hearts  of  aU.  There  were  but  few  of 
the  really  benevolent  works  of  our  Church  or  City 
in  which  our  Pastor  had  not  shown  unusual  interest, 
and  in  whose  behalf  he  had  not  diligently  labored: 
and  especially  was  this  the  case  in  those  which  pro- 
vided for  the  care  or  amelioration  of  suffering  child- 
hood; and  there  are  hundreds  of  young  hearts  who 
will  mourn  the  untimely  death  of  their  cheerful  and 
loving  friend,  whose  heart  always  beat  sympathetic- 
ally for  their  sorrows.  Taken  from  us  in  the  full 
vigor  of  his  manhood,  and  at  a  time  when  we  all 
felt  his  power  for  usefulness  was  fully  recognized 
by  the  whole  Church,  this  vestry  feel  that  they  can 
but  feebly  represent  the  great  loss  to  the  Church 
which  under  God,  owed  so  much  of  its  prosperity 
to  his  untiring  efforts,  and  to  which  so  large  a  part 
of  his  life  had  been  devoted.  Let  us  thank  God  for 
the  daily  beauty  of  his  life,  for  his  bright  example 
of  loving  Christian  manhood,  and  earnest  child-like 
faith  in  his  Reedemer,  and  now  that  he  has  entered 
into  his  rest,  may  the  memory  of  it  lead  us  to  strive 
that  we  too  may  be  ready  to  lay  aside  without  a 
murmur  this  earthly  tabernacle  at  the  Master's  call, 
and  seek  a  better — that  is,  a  heavenly  country. 

Resolved:  That  this  minute,  duly  attested  by  the 
clerk  of  the  vestry,  be  sent  to  the  family  of  our  late 
Rector,  with  whose  great  sorrow  we  desire  to  ex- 
press  our   earnest    and    most    heartfelt    sympathy, 


102         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

commending  them  to  the  care  of  our  Divine  Master, 
who  hath  declared  that  "he  doth  not  willingly  affict 
or  grieve  the  children  of  men"  and  "who  chasteneth 
those  whom  he  loveth." 

W.  B.  CLERKE,  Clerk. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Montgomery,  at  the  time  of  his  decease, 
was  vice-president  of  the  New  York  Protestant  Episcopal 
City  Mission  Society,  and  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Missions  from  the  date  of  its  organization;  he  was  a 
member  of  the  Corporation  of  the  Trustees  of  St. 
Johnland;  vice-president  of  the  "Ladies'  Mission  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  to  the  Public  Institutions 
of  the  City  of  New  York;"  from  its  organization  a 
member  of  the  board  of  managers  of  "The  Sheltering 
Arms;"  a  member  of  the  committee  of  advice  of  the 
** Orphans'  Home  and  Asylum"  in  New  York;  a  member 
of  the  New  York  Bible  and  Common  Prayer  Book 
Society;  and  the  first  vice-president  of  the  New  York 
Infant  Asylum. 

From  these  and  from  other  sources  resolutions  of 
sympathy  in  large  numbers  poured  in  upon  the  family, 
and  upon  the  vestry  of  the  Church. 

As  an  illustration  of  the  wonderful  influence  and  apt- 
ness of  Dr.  Montgomery  in  dealing  with  men,  an  incident 
is  related  by  one  who  at  the  time  was  a  young  girl  with 
whom  he  was  walking  in  the  public  street.  Suddenly  he 
said:  "Excuse  me  a  minute,  I  must  speak  to  that  man" — 
and,  going  to  a  large,  dirty,  rough-looking  laborer,  he 
placed  his  hand  gently  upon  the  man's  shoulder  and  ad- 
dressing him  as  "Brother"  in  his  kind  fatherly  way, 
rebuked  him  for  having  used  most  profane  language.  In 
a  moment  the  man's  whole  expression  changed,  and  in 
parting  he  grasped  Dr.  Montgomery's  hand,  and  (added 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  103 

the  relator),  "I  shall  never  forget  his  look  as  he  said 
good-bye  and  thanked  him.  Few  people  could  do  this 
act,  but  I  felt  then  as  now,  that  Dr.  Montgomery's 
nature  so  true,  so  sincere,  gave  him  power  far  beyond 
any  man  I  have  known.  It  may  be  truly  said  of  him 
that  he  had 'the  Kingdom  of  heaven  within  him.'  " 

Before  closing  the  interesting  pages  of  this  period  it  is 
fitting  to  turn  for  a  moment  to  the  home  life  of  Dr. 
Montgomery.  Heretofore  we  have  written  of  him  solely 
as  the  "pastor  in  parochia."  Let  us  think  of  him  as  a 
man;  as  the  father  of  a  Christian  family,  and  as  a  true 
patriot  whose  whole  life  so  splendidly  illustrated  the 
legend  "pro  patria  et  ecclesia."  Love  of  country  was  a 
marked  characteristic  of  the  man.  During  a  decade  of 
his  ministry  the  entire  country  was  torn  by  civil  strife; 
and  many  a  household  witnessed  the  awful  tragedy  of 
brother  arrayed  against  brother,  not  only  in  sentiment, 
but  also  actually  on  either  side  of  the  firing  line.  It  is 
impossible  to  describe  to  those  who  have  not  lived 
through  the  years  of  the  Civil  War  what  rancor  and 
bitter  feelings  were  engendered  in  those  days.  Partisan 
spirit  was  rampant.  There  were  many  who  were  openly 
disloyal  to  the  government,  and  even  in  the  churches 
there  were  men  and  women  who  ignored  their  obligations 
as  Christians  towards  their  fellow-men,  inflamed  by  the 
spirit  of  hatred  and  revenge.  It  will  be  recalled  that  the 
Episcopal  Church  was  rent  in  twain  by  the  spirit  of  se- 
cession and  disloyalty;  so  that  it  was  sought  to  establish 
an  independent  church  south  of  Mason  and  Dixon  line. 

To  guide  a  congregation  safely  through  the  turmoil 
necessarily  incident  to  such  a  disturbed  condition,  polit- 
ical and  financial,  to  keep  them  loyal  in  spirit  and 
steadfast  in  the  belief  of  a  just  and  merciful  overruling 


104         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Providence,  to  inspire  courage  in  the  midst  of  failure, 
and  hope  amid  despair,  required  a  man  of  supreme  trust 
in  a  righteous  God,  and  of  unshaken  confidence  in  the 
final  triumph  of  the  right. 

To  comfort  those  who  mourned,  to  bind  up  hearts 
broken  by  the  separation  of  father  and  son  and  brother, 
who  had  loyally  responded  to  the  call  to  arms,  to  weep 
with  those  who  wept  over  their  dead.  North  and  South, 
were  demands  continually  being  made  on  the  servants 
of  a  Master  "who  was  full  of  compassion  for  the  sons  of 
men.'* 

Faithful  in  every  way  to  the  demands  of  parochial  life, 
Dr.  Montgomery  found  time  to  minister  to  the  wounded 
soldiers  in  camp  and  hospital,  to  give  relief  to  their 
widows  and  orphans,  to  bid  departing  regiments  "God- 
speed," to  stir  up  and  keep  alive  in  all  his  people  a  spirit 
of  loyalty  to  the  government,  and  never  to  falter  for  a 
moment  in  the  firm  belief  that  ours  would  be  again  a 
united  country  and  a  united  Church.  Both  beliefs  were 
abundantly  justified  as  time  has  proven.  The  Church  of 
the  Incarnation  was  a  loyal  church;  the  flag  floating 
from  its  tower  proclaimed  that  fact  to  all;  the  sermons 
of  its  rector  breathed  the  spirit  of  love  and  loyalty,  of 
hope  and  courage. 

The  home  life  of  such  a  man  must  necessarily  have 
been  a  benediction.  Surrounded  by  a  family  of  little 
children,  his  heart  found  joy  in  them,  and  in  their 
companions  and  associates.  In  his  great  loving  heart 
all  children  were  "lambs  of  his  flock,"  and  the  tender 
pastor  was  loved  by  them  with  all  the  fervor  and  inten- 
sity of  their  young  hearts.  One  picture  of  his  home  life 
may  withoutimproprietybeinstanced, in  illustration  of  the 
joy  his  presence  always  inspired  among  young  and  old. 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  105 

A  member  of  his  household  writes:  "His  home  life  in 
summer  was  a  delightful  rest,  as  then  we  were  for  three 
months  under  the  grandmother's  roof  at  Rhinebeck, 
where  several  families  met  together,  and  he  was  like  a 
boy  in  his  enjoyment  of  mountain  walks  and  fishing 
excursions  and  picnics  and  games  on  the  lawn.  His 
boyhood  home  near  Tivoli  was  not  far  off,  and  he  loved  to 
make  a  pilgrimage  there  with  one  of  his  dearly  loved 
brothers.  The  annual  move  from  the  rectory  by  the 
day  boat  up  the  Hudson  was  a  jubilee,  the  omnibus  full 
of  children  and  luggage,  and  the  indispensable  dogs, 
kittens,  birds  or  rabbits  that  happened  to  be  the  favor- 
ites at  the  moment.  The  employes  on  the  boat  all 
seemed  glad  to  welcome  the  party,  and  'the  doctor'  had 
a  kind  greeting  and  a  talk  with  many  of  them.  The  farm- 
ers and  mechanics  in  the  neighborhood  all  admired  him, 
and  turned  out  whenever  he  spoke  at  the  patriotic  cele- 
brations on  the 'Fourth,' or  at  the  church  in  the  village. 

"In  the  woods  near  the  homestead  was  a  waterfall, 
and  by  it  a  spot  chosen  by  a  member  of  the  family  for  a 
Sunday-school;  for  the  children  in  the  neighborhood  had 
no  chance  to  get  Bible  teaching;  the  churches  were  too 
far  away.  Many  came  for  several  years  until  a  small 
church  could  be  built  near  by,  which  ever  since  has  helped 
and  brightened  the  neighborhood. 

"Often  he  preached  in  the  woods  and  in  the  little 
chapel,  to  these  neighbors,  and  some  are  still  left  who  love 
to  talk  of  him,  of  his  bright  smile  and  kindly  greeting. 
He  loved  young  people,  full  of  vitality  and  enthusiasm 
as  he  was;  but  he  also  felt  deeply  for  the  sick,  the 
helpless,  the  strangers  and  the  old;  while  for  the  little 
children  he  had  overflowing  affection.  He  loved  animals 
and  felt  compassion  for  every  living  creature.     His  voice 


106         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

was  sympathetic,  and  not  many  young  couples  could  have 
failed  to  remember  the  tenderness  with  which  he  read 
the  marriage  service,  especially  the  closing  benediction. 
Many  have  spoken  of  the  triumphant  ring  in  his  voice 
as  he  recited  the  opening  sentences  of  the  burial  ofiBce; 
and  the  litany  and  prayers  and  lessons  seemed  to  have 
fuller  meaning  as  he  read  them." 

At  a  vestry  meeting  held  December  17th,  1874,  called 
to  elect  a  successor  to  Dr.  Montgomery,  Mr.  Henry  A. 
Oakley  offered  the  name  of  the  Rev.  Arthur  Brooks  of 
St.  James'  Church,  Chicago.  No  other  nomination 
having  been  made,  Mr.  Brooks  was  declared  to  be  unani- 
mously elected.  The  following  letter  was  thereupon 
sent  to  him : 

New  York,  Dec.  18th,  1874. 
Rev.  Arthur  Brooks, 

Chicago,  Illinois. 
Reverend  and  Dear  Sir : 

At  a  regular  meeting  of  the  vestry  of  the  Church 
of  the  Incarnation,  held  on  Dec.  17th,  1874,  the 
following  resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted: 

First:  That  a  call  to  the  rectorship  of  this  church 
be  tendered  to  Rev.  Arthur  Brooks  of  Chicago,  at  a 
yearly  salary  of  five  thousand  dollars,  and  with  the 
use  and  occupation  of  the  rectory  on  Madison  Ave- 
nue, adjoining  the  church,  from  and  after  the  1st  of 
May,  1875. 

Second:  That  the  Senior  Warden,  the  Clerk  of  the 
Vestry,  and  the  Treasurer  of  the  church  be  a  com- 
mittee to  tender  the  above  call. 

The  undersigned  take  great  pleasure  in  perform- 
ing the  duty  assigned  them,  by  the  second  of  the 
above  resolutions,  and  at  the  same  time  to  assure 
you,  that  they  were  passed,  with  great  heartiness, 
and  with  perfect  unanimity.  They  trust  that  they 
shall  receive  a  favorable  answer: — and  simply  ex- 


THE  MONTGOMERY  PERIOD  107 

press  the  sentiment  of  the  vestry  when  they  say, 
that  if  there  should  be  any  consideration  which  ren- 
ders it  imperative,  or  necessary  that  there  be  some 
interval  between  the  acceptance  of  the  call,  and  the 
entrance  upon  duty,  we  feel  quite  disposed  to  accord 
it. 

Hoping  for  an  early  reply,  we  remain  your  friends, 
Very  sincerely. 

Senior  Warden  S.  M.  Valentine 
Clerk  of  the  Vestry  W.  B.  Gierke 
Treasurer,  Henry  A.  Oakley. 


CHAPTER  IV 
THE  BROOKS  PERIOD 

1875-1895 

THE  call  to  become  rector  of  the  Incarnation  was 
delivered  to  the  Rev.  Arthur  Brooks,  at  his 
residence  in  Chicago,  by  a  vestryman  of  the 
church.  Mr.  Brooks  had  set  his  heart  on  spending  his 
life  in  the  west,  and  in  this  call  to  leave  there  he  could 
not  at  once  recognize  that  "Divinity  which  shapes  our 
ends."  At  this  time  he  was  considering  an  election  to 
the  rectorship  of  St.  Luke's  Church,  Philadelphia. 
Before  deciding  between  the  two  calls  he  visited  New 
York,  and  found  every  condition  in  the  parish  attractive. 
Having  given  due  consideration  to  the  matter,  and  after 
advising  with  his  brother  Phillips,  Mr.  Brooks  declined 
the  call  to  Philadelphia,  and  accepted  that  to  the  parish 
of  the  Incarnation,  New  York. 

The  letter  of  acceptance  received  from  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Brooks  was  dated  Chicago,  February  15th,  1875. 

To  the  Vestry  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation, 

New  York. 
Gentlemen : 

At  a  meeting  of  the  vestry  of  St.  James'  Church, 
Chicago,  held  a  few  days  since,  my  resignation  as 
rector  was  accepted.  This  leaves  me  free  to  accept 
your  call  to  take  charge  of  the  Church  which  you 
represent.  I  do  so,  with  a  full  sense  of  the  importance 
of  the  position,  and  of  the  responsibilities  which  I 


^AnyCUiAAJ  U^J-i^'€rcr/^  ^ 


1876 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  109 

assume  in  its  acceptance.  I  take  that  position  rely- 
ing on  that  support  which  you  have  so  fully  promised, 
in  the  work  which  we  are  to  undertake  for  the  cause 
of  Christ.  The  past  history  of  your  parish  makes 
me  trust  that  the  earnest  assistance  which  was  so 
fully  given  to  your  late  lamented  rector  for  so  many 
years  will  be  continued  to  his  successor  in  his  endeav- 
ors, however  unworthy,  to  carry  on  the  work  of  your 
Church.  Together,  however,  our  labors  must  ever 
look  for  success  to  His  blessing,  in  Whose  name  alone 
we  undertake  them.  I  accept  your  call  therefore  with 
the  prayer  that  we  may  receive  God's  blessing  in  all 
its  fullness,  uniting  us,  strengthening  us,  and  guiding 
us  in  all  that  we  are  called  upon  to  do  for  Him.  The 
Lenten  season  has  already  opened,  and  in  your  parish 
as  well  as  my  own  here,  arrangements  have  been 
made  for  its  observance.  It  also  does  not  seem  ad- 
visable to  interrupt  these  arrangements,  by  a  change 
during  this  season;  I  therefore  avail  myself  of  your 
willingness  to  wait  some  weeks,  for  my  actual  en- 
trance upon  the  duties  of  your  parish,  and  will  name 
the  second  or  third  Sunday  in  April  as  the  day  for 
assuming  my  new  charge,  if  that  time  shall  prove  ac- 
ceptable to  you. 

With  warmest  feelings  of  esteem, 
I  remain.  Yours  very  truly. 

When  the  Rev.  Arthur  Brooks  came  to  New  York  he 
found  a  well-equipped  and  active  parish  to  welcome  him. 
Like  a  ship  under  full  sail,  whose  captain  had  been 
suddenly  stricken,  the  parish  was  forging  ahead,  and  in 
line  with  the  older  and  richer  ones  of  the  city.  Under 
the  late  rector  the  congregation  had  largely  increased, 
and  had  been  educated  to  systematic  giving,  and  to  take 
interest  in  the  home  and  foreign  missionary  work  of  the 


no         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Church.  The  people  were  warm-hearted,  cordial  and 
sympathetic,  and  only  needed  an  active  evangelical  broad 
churchman  to  lead  them. 

The  men  were  earnest  workers,  interested  in  the  home 
mission  in  Thirty-first  Street;  the  ladies  had  continued 
without  break  the  work  of  the  missionary  society,  or- 
ganized in  1855,  and  that  of  the  employment  society.  A 
parish  Sunday-school  of  children  whose  families  attended 
the  church,  was  held  in  the  chapel  adjoining  each  Sunday 
morning.  A  mission  Sunday-school  of  five  hundred 
children,  taught  by  men  and  women  of  the  parish  church, 
was  held  in  the  chapel  in  Thirty-first  Street. 

A  society  of  young  girls  of  the  parish  Sunday-school, 
which  was  formed  in  1877  under  the  name  of  Earnest 
Workers  (and  two  years  later  changed  to  "Willing  Work- 
ers") for  the  purpose  of  making  clothing  for  the  infant  de- 
partment of  the  mission  school,  continued  unceasingly 
during  Dr.  Brooks'  rectorship. 

The  work  of  our  Church  in  Mexico  had  appealed 
strongly  to  Dr.  Montgomery,  and  on  October  6th,  1874, 
only  a  few  weeks  prior  to  his  death,  he  organized, 
from  the  women  of  his  congregation,  a  society  to  provide 
means  for  carrying  on  the  work  of  the  "Church  of  Jesus 
in  Mexico,"  then  under  the  spiritual  care  of  the  Rev. 
Henry  E.  Riley.  The  name  selected  was  "The  Mexican 
Mission  Society;"  but  after  the  rector's  death  as  a  tribute 
to  him,  it  was  named,  "The  Montgomery  Memorial 
Society."     Mrs.  V.  L.  Farragut  was  its  president. 

Soon  after  entering  upon  his  charge,  the  rector  organ- 
ized the  "Ladies'  Committee  for  Foreign  Work,"  de- 
signed to  assist  the  "Woman's  Auxiliary  for  Foreign 
Missions"  by  sending  money  and  clothing,  under  its 
direction,  to  missionaries  in  the  field.     By  the  efforts  of 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  111 

this  committee,  the  Arthur  Brooks  scholarship  was 
established  in  Miss  Nelson's  school,  Shanghai,  and  pe- 
cuniary aid  was  given  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Blanchet,  and  to 
the  medical  missions  in  China,  under  care  of  the  Rev. 
Dr.  A.  C.  Bunn.  As  interest  increased,  contributions 
were  sent  later  to  aid  the  work  of  our  Church  in  Haiti, 
Japan  and  Africa;  and  the  society  held  itself  in  readiness 
to  assist  the  foreign  work  in  any  way  the  rector  should 
advise. 

Appreciating  the  noble  work  which  his  predecessor 
had  done,  Mr.  Brooks  was  desirous  of  having  a  suitable 
memorial  placed  in  the  church  to  the  memory  of  Dr. 
Montgomery,  by  whom  the  parish  had  been  so  faithfully 
administered,  and  who  had  been  so  greatly  beloved  by 
his  people.  His  efforts  in  this  direction  met  with  hearty 
approval,  and  at  a  vestry  meeting  April  28th,  1876,  the 
following  resolution  was  adopted: 

Whereas:  The  Rev.  Henry  E,  Montgomery, 
D.D.,  deceased,  was  at  the  time  of  his  death,  and  had 
been  for  upwards  of  nineteen  years,  the  faithful  and 
beloved  pastor  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation  in 
this  city,  and 

Whereas:  It  is  eminently  proper  that  a  suit- 
able tablet  should  be  placed  in  the  said  church  to  per- 
petuate his  memory,  therefore 

Resolved:  That  a  committee  of  three  be  ap- 
pointed to  procure  designs  for  said  tablet  with  cost  of 
making  and  placing  the  same  in  the  said  church. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  E.  M.  Crawford  it  was 

Resolved:  That  a  committee  of  three  be  ap- 
pointed to  solicit  subscriptions  not  exceeding  $10 
from  each  and  every  former  parishioner  of  the  late 
Dr.  Montgomery,  for  the  purpose  of  placing  a  tablet 
in  his  memory  in  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation. 


112         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Messrs.  Therasson,  Gierke  and  Valentine  were  appoint- 
ed a  committee  to  obtain  designs  for  the  memorial;  the 
rector  designated  Messrs.  Crawford,  Oakley  and  Lang- 
don  a  committee  to  collect  subscriptions. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Widdemer,  who,  in  1872,  had  entered 
energetically  upon  his  work  as  pastor  of  the  chapel,  soon 
endeared  himself  to  old  and  young,  as  his,  ten  years  of 
service  amply  testify.  The  week-day  evening  meetings, 
as  well  as  the  attendance  at  Sunday  services,  showed 
increasing  interest  on  the  part  of  all.  The  Sunday-school 
under  Mr.  J.  Hobart  Herrick,  was  overflowing,  and  it 
was  abundantly  demonstrated  that  a  larger  building 
would  shortly  become  a  necessity  if  the  work  was  to 
expand,  The  pastor  had  the  efficient  services  of  Mrs. 
Frank  Pratt  as  parish  visitor. 

In  1879,  a  kitchen  garden  class  for  little  girls  was 
formed  by  Miss  M.H. Trotter  and  Miss  C.T.Lawrence, 
and  met  in  the  vestry  room ;  an  industrial  school,  taught 
by  Mrs.  E.  M.  Crawford,  Mrs.  A.  Piatt  and  other  ladies, 
met,  for  want  of  a  better  place,  in  the  front  pews  of  the 
chapel  each  Saturday  morning. 

It  was  at  a  time  when  everything  testified  to  the  pros- 
perity of  the  mission,  and  plans  were  being  considered 
for  the  enlargement  of  the  chapel,  that  Dr.  Montgomery 
died.  His  successor  was  fully  in  sympathy  with  mission 
work,  so  that  under  Mr.  Brooks  interest  increased,  and 
strenuous  efforts  were  made  to  provide  a  larger  building 
for  the  growing  work. 

The  men  and  women  of  the  chapel  had  organized  a 
society  of  "Young  Parish  Workers,"  their  object  being 
to  raise  money  for  chapel  purposes,  and  also  to  pro- 
vide for  themselves  evenings  of  pleasure  and  literary 
entertainment. 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  113 

By  this  means  they  had  raised  $415  towards  building 
a  new  chapel,  and  later  added  $350  for  the  purchase  of  an 
organ. 

The  vestry  of  the  church  gave  consent  to  the  mission 
board  to  enlarge  the  present  building.  Fortunately,  at 
this  time  there  was  an  unoccupied  chapel  in  East  Twenty- 
third  Street  belonging  to  Grace  Church,  which  had  been 
temporarily  used  by  the  congregation  of  Calvary  mission. 
The  courtesy  of  Grace  Church  was  extended  to  the 
Incarnation,  by  giving  the  use  of  that  building  for  the 
services  of  its  mission,  during  the  work  of  enlarging  its 
chapel. 

Before  undertaking  the  enlargement  of  the  building 
the  mission  board  had  submitted  to  the  rector  a  propo- 
sition to  build  a  new  church  on  the  site  of  the  present 
chapel,  also  stating  that  they  had  procured  plans  for  the 
same,  by  which  it  was  estimated  that  a  suitable  chapel 
could  be  erected  at  a  cost  of  $35,000.  It  was  further 
stated  that  Mrs.  Sarah  J.  Zabriskie  had  offered  to  give 
towards  the  erection  of  a  new  church  the  sum  of  ten 
thousand  dollars,  provided  it  should  be  called  and  al- 
ways known  as  "The  Montgomery  Memorial,"  in  mem- 
ory of  the  late  rector  of  the  parish;  and  provided  also 
that  the  balance  of  the  entire  sum  (which  was  not  to 
exceed  $35,000)  necessary  to  erect  said  building,  be  first 
subscribed  and  paid  over  within  three  months  from  the 
date  of  her  offer. 

At  the  expiration  of  this  time,  Mrs.  Zabriskie's  offer 
was  withdrawn,  because  after  a  thorough  canvass  of  the 
congregation,  the  board  realized  that  they  could  not 
raise  a  sum  sufficient  to  meet  the  conditions  imposed. 

The  vestry,  thereupon,  renewed  consent  to  the  mission 
board  to  enlarge  the  present  chapel,  in  accordance  with 


114         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

plans  submitted  by  them,  at  a  cost  not  to  exceed  $10,000. 
Accordingly  the  congregation  moved  to  the  unoccupied 
Grace  chapel  in  Twenty-third  Street,  and  the  first  ser- 
vice therein  was  held  on  Trinity  Sunday,  May  27th,  1877. 
The  enlargement  of  the  chapel  in  Thirty -first  Street  was 
under  the  supervision  of  James  E.  Ware,  architect; 
and  the  building,  greatly  improved,  was  opened  for 
divine  service  on  Sunday  evening,  November  4th,  1877. 

The  following  minute  appears  on  the  records: 

At  the  close  of  the  year  which  has  seen  an  enlarge- 
ment of  the  work  of  the  mission,  the  Board  of  Mana- 
gers feel  called  upon  to  put  upon  their  minutes  an  ex- 
pression of  heartfelt  thankfulness  to  Almighty  God  for 
the  abundant  blessings  which  He  has  bestowed  upon 
this  work,  which  they  are  attempting  to  do  in  His 
name. 

Resolved:  That  the  thanks  of  this  board  are 
due,  and  are  hereby  tendered  to  the  members  of  this 
congregation  who  by  their  ready  liberality  have  en- 
abled them  to  carry  out  during  the  past  year,  the  long 
cherished  plan  of  an  enlargement  of  the  mission 
chapel. 

On  the  afternoon  of  November  25th,  1876,  occurred  the 
interesting  ceremony  of  unveiling  the  mural  monument 
placed  in  the  church  by  the  congregation  in  memory  of  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Henry  Eglinton  Montgomery.  There  were 
present  in  the  chancel  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Brooks  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Peters,  Dr.  Guilbert  and  Dr.  Tiffany.  The  Rev. 
Lea  Luquer,  rector  of  St.  Matthew's  Church,  Bedford, 
read  evening  prayer.  Each  of  the  clergymen  present 
made  a  short  address  and  paid  loving  tribute  to  their  de- 
parted brother,  speaking  of  the  many  excellent  qualities 
of  head  and  heart,  which  had  made  him  beloved  by  all. 


A. 


.'■■..Or^>"  ".  ,i'^ 


^mSfe^^^^Si^S^&^^l^iJ^^^l^^^ 


MURAL  TABLET 
The  Rev.  Dr.  Montgomery 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  115 

especially  by  his  own  congregation,  and  by  the  numerous 
institutions  with  which  he  had  been  associated. 

Before  the  beginning  of  service,  the  veil  covering  the 
monument  had  been  removed  and  there  stood  revealed 
upon  the  north  wall  of  the  church,  midway  between  the 
windows,  a  monument  of  surpassing  excellence.  A 
Gothic  structure  of  Cleveland  light  sandstone  and  Lisbon 
marble,  contained  a  bronze  medallion  portrait  of  Dr. 
Montgomery  in  high  relief,  modelled  by  Augustus  St. 
Gaudens,  the  whole  executed  from  design  by  H.  H. 
Richardson  of  Boston,  being  the  only  monument  known 
to  have  been  designed  by  this  distinguished  architect. 
The  central  part  of  the  tablet  forms  an  arch,  supported 
at  each  side  by  two  polished  marble  shafts.  Above  the 
bronze  profile  is  the  name  Henry  Eglinton  Montgomery : 
beneath  it  upon  a  bronze  plate,  is  the  record  in  pol- 
ished letters,  on  gold  ground: 

Born  December  9th,  1820.    Ordained  June  28th,  1846. 

Rector  of  this  Church  March  11th,  1855. 

Died  October  15th,  1874. 

Below  this  are  the  words : 

Stedfast  in  the  faith;  fervent  in  spirit; 
in  utterance  bold;  in  friendship  true; 
zealous  of  good  works;  given  to  hospitality. 

Various  symbols  are  interwoven  in  the  carvings;  and 
on  either  side  between  two  short  marble  columns,  is 
inscribed  the  text : 

To  me  to  live  is  Christ;  to  die  is  gain. 

The  inscriptions  upon  the  monument  were  the  selection 
of  Dr.  Montgomery's  intimate  friend,  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Thomas  M.  Peters. 


116         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

The  Rev.  Arthur  Brooks  preached  a  sermon  on  Feb- 
ruary 22d,  1877,  commemorative  of  the  twenty-fifth 
anniversary  of  the  organization  of  the  parish.  The  text 
was  Psalms  48:11-13.  After  having  briefly  rehearsed 
the  salient  points  of  its  history,  as  given  in  the  preceding 
pages,  he  continued: 

Such  are  the  general  outlines  of  the  history  of  our 
church.  It  is  not  an  old  church,  and  perhaps  its  life 
may  not  be  thought  to  contain  any  specially  great 
events.  But  I  think  we  can  say  that  by  God's  bless- 
ing it  has  been  a  happy  and  successful  life  in  the  work 
that  has  been  given  it,  and  therefore  it  is  a  stimulat- 
ing one  to  contemplate.  It  has  never  gone  back  a 
step,  or  stood  still  for  a  moment,  and  in  that  it  has 
been  up  to  its  duty,  though  none  know  its  shortcom- 
ings better  than  those  who  had  a  share  in  con- 
tributing to  its  life.  And  above  all,  it  is  interesting 
as  representing  most  faithfully  the  character  and 
growth  of  our  city.  It  has  grown  with  New  York,  it 
has  succeeded  with  New  York,  and  it  represents 
well  therefore  the  conditions  of  religious  life  in  our 
time  and  country;  in  that  aspect  it  is  abundantly  in- 
teresting and  instructive,  and  its  very  youth  adds  to 
the  effect.  For,  comparatively,  nothing  is  old  with 
us  in  this  country,  and  our  church  can  therefore,  in 
that,  claim  fellowship  with  the  very  nation,  and  city 
in  which  we  live. 

This  is  a  community  where  self-made  men  are  to 
be  found  among  our  most  powerful  and  respected 
citizens,  and  to  such  a  community  the  self-made 
Church  belongs.  It  started,  as  do  so  many  young 
American  boys,  with  only  God  on  its  side,  to  do  its 
life-work,  and  therefore  that  life-work  is  the  more 
readily  seen  to  flow  from  God  alone.  And  this  char- 
acter has  been  impresssed  upon  it  through  all  its 
history.  Struggle  with  the  much-dreaded  deficiency 
has  been  a  very  constant  feature  of  its  vestry  meet- 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  117 

ings.  For  but  a  very  short  time  in  its  history  has  it 
ever  been  out  of  debt.  It  has  had  just  the  vicissi- 
tudes of  which  many  a  young  man  in  our  land,  to 
whom  his  father  could  give  nothing,  would  be  able  to 
tell  us.  It  was  a  mission  planted  where  the  growth 
of  the  city  overtook  it;  that  growth  took  hold  of  it, 
and  in  the  wisdom  of  those  who  presided  over  it,  it 
knew  enough  to  take  hold  of  that  growth.  And 
therefore  it  has  gone  on  and  done  its  work  without  any 
assistance.  I  like  the  lesson  that  such  a  church 
speaks  to  us  of  encouragement  and  faith  in  God  for 
his  Church  today.  Men  are  fond  of  disparaging  our 
churches  of  today;  they  contrast  them  with  other 
systems  and  other  days.  They  are  never  tired  of 
laughing  at  their  debts,  and  calling  them  proud  and 
selfish  corporations.  They  will  not  recognize  that 
churches  of  the  times  must  sometimes  use  the  modes 
of  action  of  the  times,  as  far  as  they  are  honest  and 
true.  They  have  to  venture,  they  have  to  struggle  to 
do  their  work,  just  as  much  as  you  men  have  to  ven- 
ture and  struggle  to  do  yours,  when  you  have  noth- 
ing to  draw  on  but  God's  help  and  your  own  energy. 
And  they  will  succeed  just  as  you  do,  just  as  this 
church  has,  when  they  are  prudent,  diligent,  and 
faithful  to  their  work,  which  is  the  service  of  our  God 
and  of  His  Christ.  Do  not  disparage  our  church  life 
of  today.  It  is  true;  it  is  doing  an  immense  amount 
of  good  just  according  to  the  position  in  which  God 
has  placed  it.  It  came  from  God's  hand  as  much  as 
any  church  life  ever  did.  Encourage  it  and  help  it 
because  God  is  working  by  it.  Love  your  parish  and 
its  church,  because  it  is  His  instrument.  Work  for  it 
while  alive;  remember  in  your  wills  according  to  your 
ability  and  circumstances  the  church  which  has  min- 
istered to  your  happiness  and  sorrow,  and  has  made 
you  strong  to  bear  life's  burdens  successfully. 

Another  great  characteristic  of  this  church  has  been 
its  faithful  recognition  and  assumption  of  the  neces- 


118         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

sity  of  work.  It  has  felt  that  it  did  not  live  for  the 
sake  of  living,  but  in  order  to  do  something.  And  so 
right  along,  simultaneous  with  its  attempts  and 
struggles  for  support,  enlargement,  decoration  and 
addition,  has  gone  all  missionary  and  charitable  labor. 

At  no  time  has  it  uttered  that  paralyzing  word — 
"we  will  do  nothing  for  anybody  but  ourselves;  wait 
till  we  are  built  up,  and  then  we  will  begin  to  work." 
And  I  believe  that  this  has  been  one  of  the  greatest 
causes  of  its  prosperity.  What  merchant  would  suc- 
ceed who  was  so  busy  building  his  place  of  business 
that  he  should  forget  or  neglect  to  sell  any  goods  or 
do  any  work?  When  his  warehouse  was  built,  he 
would  find  that  he  had  very  little  to  do  in  it.  The 
spirit  of  our  community  is  work;  and  in  that  our 
church  has  again  shown  itself  in  God's  providence  a 
New  York — an  American  church. 

The  church  is  for  worship.  Yes;  but  a  church  sole- 
ly for  worship  would  not  answer  for  our  lives  so  full 
of  work.  It  would  shut  worship  away  from  work, 
and  be  no  help  to  us  in  our  daily  experiences.  But  a 
church  that  combines  worship  and  work  tells  us  that 
the  two  should  always  be  combined  in  our  lives;  it 
speaks  of  calmness  in  daily  work,  of  faith  in  daily 
struggles,  of  success  by  reliance  upon  God. 

Another  feature  about  this  history  is  the  force  of 
personal  life  within  it.  This  church  has  grown  by 
individual  character  more  than  as  a  great  corporation. 
The  corporate  idea  has  been  slight  in  its  influence; 
the  force  of  personal  attachment  has  been  very  great. 
This  is  illustrated  by  the  one  long  rectorate  that 
makes  up  nearly  all  its  history,  and  that  impressed 
most  of  the  characteristics  upon  the  Church  by  which 
it  can  be  recognized  today.  It  is  illustrated  also  by 
the  position  of  the  church  in  regard  to  the  Church 
movements  that  have  gone  on  during  its  existence. 
These  twenty-five  years  have  seen  a  great  variety  of 
developments  in  the  life  of  our  Protestant  Episcopal 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  119 

Church.  But  this  church  was  not  founded  to  carry 
out  any  idea,  or  to  advocate  the  cause  of  any  party. 
Its  life  sprang  from  the  needs  of  men  and  women 
who  wanted  in  it  a  place  to  worship  and  to  work  for 
God;  it  was  undertaken  in  the  same  spirit  by  Dr. 
Montgomery;  it  has  been  more  conspicuous  for 
personal  devotion  than  for  party  zeal.  I  do  not  mean 
that  it  has  been  indifferent  as  to  what  was  going  on, 
or  has  feared  to  express  the  convictions  of  those  who 
composed  it.  It  has  always  had  a  firm  and  decided 
word  to  speak  for  the  right,  and  for  the  simple  truth 
of  the  Gospel  in  all  the  shifting  phases  of  thought  and 
action.  In  the  love  of  a  personal  Christ  it  has  been 
able  to  be  tolerant  and  not  narrow,  and  to  sympathize 
with  every  new  good  work  wherever  it  appeared.  It 
has  been  so  busy  worshipping  and  working  that  it  has 
had  no  time  or  inclination  to  discuss  and  introduce 
changes  or  ritual,  and  the  same  simple  service  which 
was  so  common  twenty -five  years  ago,  and  with  which 
it  began  its  course,  is  preserved  here  today,  not  as  a 
party  badge,  not  from  mere  unthinking  conservatism, 
but  because  the  worshipping  souls  here  have  ever 
loved  it  and  been  helped  by  it. 

I  wish  I  could  speak  to  the  hearts  of  many  here 
today.  There  are  those  who  have  sat  in  this  church 
Sunday  after  Sunday  for  years;  they  have  enjoyed 
its  privileges;  they  have  worshipped  God  in  its  ser- 
vices, and  heard  the  message  of  Christ  in  his  teaching; 
the  rich  gifts  of  its  ministry  have  come  to  them.  The 
Church  has  tried  to  do  its  duty  by  them;  they  are 
attached  to  it  in  heart,  and  they  are  proud  of  its 
history.  Now,  what  does  it  ask  of  them?  It  ac- 
knowledges with  gratitude  their  liberal  gifts  of 
money,  and  their  frequent  contributions  of  time  and 
labor  in  its  behalf.  But  it  wants  them.  It  wants 
their  acknowledged  allegiance  to  Christ;  it  declares 
that  they  do  not  do  their  duty,  that  they  cannot  get 
the  real  blessing  from  the  Church  of  Christ  until  they 


120         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

give  that.  They  must  contribute  their  personal 
Christian  life  to  a  church  if  they  really  wish  it  to  be 
strong  and  to  do  its  duty,  by  their  help. 

And  so  we  all  of  us  ask  for  a  greater  baptism  of  the 
spirit  of  Christ  that  we  may  do  our  work  in  the  future 
in  this  Church  of  Christ.  We  have  "considered  her 
palaces,"  and  we  thank  God  for  all  that  He  has  en- 
abled us  to  do  in  building  his  Church  so  that  it  may 
embody  as  far  as  possible  the  beauty  of  holiness,  and 
for  all  the  outward  prosperity  which  such  work 
signified;  we  have  "marked  well  her  bulwarks"  of 
strong  liberal  and  active  men,  and  we  praise  God  for 
them  all,  and  for  their  works;  we  have  "told  her  tow- 
ers" of  strong  American  spirit  and  ideas;  and  we 
thank  God  that  we  live  in  these  times  when  such  ideas 
prevail ;  but  behind  the  bulwarks  and  towers,  we  want 
to  feel  more  than  ever  the  true  spirit  of  love  to  Christ 
as  their  only  strength;  in  those  palaces  must  be 
known  God  and  His  Christ  as  a  sure  refuge  for 
sinning  men.  Very  shifting  are  the  characteristics 
of  these  Churches  of  ours;  their  congregations  are 
ever  changing;  by  reason  of  the  constant  changes 
in  society  around  us,  their  very  buildings  have  to  be 
renewed  once  in  a  generation;  the  forms  of  thought 
and  worship  in  Christian  life  share  in  the  flexibility  of 
our  life  here.  The  permanence  of  Christian  Churches 
lies  deeper  than  any  of  those  things,  on  "Jesus  Christ 
the  same,  yesterday,  today,  and  forever."  Because 
of  that  and  not  because  of  ourselves  we  believe  that 
the  Church  will  go  on.  The  Church  and  the  Chris- 
tian are  one  in  their  trust  and  dependence;  together 
they  say:  "This  is  our  God  for  ever  and  ever,  He  will 
be  our  guide  even  unto  death."  As  a  Church,  as 
members  of  His  Church,  may  we  build  on  Him  and 
we  shall  not  be  confounded. 

In  1877,  at  the  expiration  of  twenty-five  years'  exist- 
ence as  a  parish,  the  register  shows  a  total  of  740  bap- 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  121 

tisms,  627  confirmations,  323  marriages,  421  funerals, 
contribution  to  charitable  and  religious  objects,  $284,666; 
average  $12,000  yearly. 

In  the  sermon  of  the  rector,  given  above,  we  have 
noted  this  remark:  "For  a  very  short  time  in  its  history 
has  this  parish  ever  been  out  of  debt."  It  is,  indeed, 
only  too  true  that  debt  imposes  burdens  and  responsi- 
bilities upon  the  head  of  any  organization,  secular  or 
religious,  and  the  present  rector  was  not  free  from  this 
hindrance  to  spiritual  labor. 

At  the  end  of  the  first  quarter  of  a  century  of  parish 
life  we  find  this  record  on  the  vestry  book:  "mortgage 
on  the  church,  $38,000;  on  the  chapel  $10,000;  on  the 
rectory  $13,000;  making  a  total  of  $61,000.  The  rector 
was  requested  to  make  an  appeal  to  the  congregation  with 
a  view  to  raising  the  sum  of  $48,000  for  the  purpose  of 
paying  off  the  mortgage  debt  on  the  church  and  chapel.'* 

Alluding  to  this,  Mrs.  Kellner  says  of  the  young  rector: 
"Work  and  plenty  of  it  was  what  his  youth  and  energy 
desired;  he  wasted  no  regret  on  the  debt  nor  on  the 
church's  other  incompleteness — its  unfinished  spire, — he 
merely  waited  for  the  right  juncture  at  which  to  remedy 
both  these  hindrances  to  progress." 

On  All  Saints'  Day,  1880,  the  rector  organized  a 
"Ladies'  Association"  from  members  of  the  parish,  his 
object  being  to  bring  together  those  who  were  actively 
engaged  in  the  work  of  the  parish  and  those  who  were 
prevented  from  taking  part  in  such  work.  At  each 
meeting  of  this  association  reports  were  read,  showing 
what  had  been  done  by  the  several  charitable  and 
missionary  societies  in  the  parish.  These  statements 
were  made  by  the  rector,  and  the  result  was  the  promo- 
tion of  a  sense  of  unity  among  the  various  branches  of 


122         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

work,  and  a  more  general  knowledge  of  what  was  going 
on  in  the  parish. 

A  "Young  Men's  Association  for  Church  Work"  was 
also  formed  by  the  rector  for  the  purpose  of  interesting 
young  men  of  the  congregation  in  work  among  the  poor. 
Reports  were  made  of  visits  paid  by  its  members  to 
families  principally  in  the  mission  district,  and  where  it 
was  found  that  pecuniary  or  personal  assistance  would  be 
helpful,  such  aid  was  given. 

Dr.  Henry  LeBaron  Hartt,  a  member  of  the  home 
mission  board,  died  in  1880.  The  managers  placed  on 
record  their  appreciation  of  his  devoted  life,  and  self- 
denying  services:  "As  a  member  of  this  board  and  a 
teacher  in  the  Sunday-school  in  past  years,  and  more 
recently  as  a  physician,  willing  and  ready  to  render  aid 
in  all  cases  of  sickness  among  the  families  of  the  mission, 
his  memory  will  be  long  cherished  by  us  and  by  those  to 
whom  his  services  have  been  so  freely  given."  Dr.  Hartt 
married  Miss  Irene  Widdemer,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Widdemer. 

A  visit  to  the  mission  chapel  at  this  time  would  have 
convinced  anyone  that  it  was  a  beehive,  full  of  industrious 
workers,  where  there  was  likely  soon  to  be  a  swarm, 
unless  more  ample  quarters  were  provided.  On  week 
days,  all  the  industrial  work  was  carried  on  in  the  narrow 
confines  of  the  vestry-room,  and  in  the  pews  of  the  chapel. 

Realizing  the  necessity  for  larger  and  better  working 
quarters,  the  board  of  managers  took  the  matter  under 
advisement.  There  was  a  three-story  brick  house  ad- 
joining the  chapel  premises,  which  it  was  desirable  to 
obtain  for  the  secular  work  of  the  mission.  The  board 
therefore  directed  its  secretary  to  address  the  following 
letter  to  the  vestry  of  the  parish: 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  123 

February  25th,  1881. 

Gentlemen:  At  the  request  of  the  rector,  Mr. 
Brooks,  I  send  you  the  following  extract  from  the 
minutes  of  the  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Managers 
of  the  Mission  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation, 
held  January  7th,  1881. 

The  following  resolution,  offered  by  Mr.  Stetson, 
was  unanimously  adopted:  viz: 

Resolved:  That  this  Board  recommend  to  the 
vestry,  the  purchase  of  the  premises  next  east  of  the 
chapel  in  Thirty-first  Street  for  mission  purposes,  at 
the  sum  of  $10,000. 

THEODORE  WESTON,  Secy. 

This  request  of  the  board  of  managers  was  favorably 
received  by  the  vestry,  who  were  rejoiced  to  learn  of  the 
prosperity  of  the  mission  work  under  its  zealous  mission- 
ary, and  of  the  increasing  number  of  societies  for  im- 
provement among  the  young,  and  they  immediately 
ratified  the  proposed  purchase  of  the  house. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  C.  B.  Fosdick  the  following  resolu- 
tion was  unanimously  adopted: 

Resolved:  That  the  vestry  ratify  the  purchase  of 
the  property  in  East  Thirty-first  Street,  adjoining  the 
chapel  building,  made  by  the  Board  of  Managers  of 
the  Home  Mission,  for  the  sum  of  $10,000;  they 
paying  over  the  amount  of  subscriptions  obtained, 
and  to  be  obtained,  to  the  treasurer  of  this  vestry, 
who  is  hereby  authorized  to  pay  for  the  property  upon 
the  passage  of  a  proper  title  to  the  Church  of  the  In- 
carnation. 

The  house  was  bought  without  delay,  and  the  purchase 
reported  to  the  vestry  of  the  church.  Whereupon,  on 
March  25th,  the  following  resolution  was  sent  by  the 
vestry  to  the  board  of  managers: 


124         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Resolved:  That  the  property  248  East  Thirty- 
first  Street  be  placed  under  the  care  and  charge  of 
the  board  of  managers  of  the  Home  Mission  of  this 
church, 

Resolved:     That  this  vestry  hereby  tender  their 
acknowledgment  and  appreciation  of  the  successful 
efforts  made  by  the  managers  of  the  home  mission 
in  providing  increased  facilities  for  the  spread  of  the 
good  work  now  being  done  at  the  mission  chapel. 

The  house  which  was  purchased  was  of  brick,  three 
stories  and  basement.  After  necessary  alterations  had 
been  made,  it  was  opened  as  a  parish  house,  and  the 
second  floor  was  set  apart  for  the  use  of  the  day  nursery. 
Rooms  for  the  matron  and  for  the  family  of  the  sexton 
of  the  chapel  were  also  provided,  and  the  first  floor  of 
the  house  was  made  into  a  large  parlor  for  the  use  of 
classes  on  Sundays,  and  for  secular  meetings  on  week- 
days. The  pastor  also  had  his  study  here;  and  the 
basement  provided  accommodations  for  the  Sunday- 
school  library,  and  for  meetings  of  boys'  and  men's  clubs. 

The  constant  use  made  of  the  house  proved  the  wisdom 
of  its  purchase.  It  provided  rooms  for  the  Girls'  Friendly 
Society;  the  King's  Daughters  (with  its  two  inner  circles, 
the  "  Cheering  Circle"  and  "  Ministering  Children,")  or- 
ganized by  Miss  F.  A.  Mead;  the  Choral  Society;  the 
Kemping  Club,  organized  by  Mr.  A.  H.  Vernam;the 
Amity  Association;  and  the  Workingmen's  reading  room. 

In  January,  1882,  a  "Workingmen's  Association"  was 
organized  at  the  chapel,  under  the  auspices  of  Messrs. 
C.  A.  DaCosta  and  F.  L.  Stetson  of  the  parish  church. 
A  reading  room  was  opened  in  the  basement  of  the  parish 
house,  and  furnished  with  magazines  and  papers.  Mr. 
DaCosta  was  its  first  president. 

On  the  afternoon  of  Friday,  March  24th,  1882,  the 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  125 

beautiful  Church  of  the  Incarnation  was  nearly  destroyed 
by  fire.  When  the  flames  were  discovered,  they  had 
burst  through  the  floor  of  the  church  behind  the  chancel, 
and  in  the  passageway  between  the  church  and  the  ad- 
joining chapel.  Sections  of  the  burning  roof  fell  into  the 
nave  of  the  church.  The  walls,  and  the  tower  at  the 
southwest  corner,  were  not  materially  damaged,  but  all 
the  windows  at  the  south  side  were  destroyed,  and  also 
the  large  memorial  west  window  above  the  main  entrance. 
The  mural  monuments  were  only  slightly  injured  by 
smoke.  The  entire  east  end  of  the  building  was  a  wreck. 
The  pulpit,  reading-desk  and  Communion  table  were 
totally  destroyed.  The  white  marble  font,  memorial 
to  little  Emilie  Owen,  which  stood  on  the  chancel  plat- 
form, and  the  organ  in  its  loft  on  the  north  of  the  chancel, 
above  the  reading-desk,  were  ruined.  The  loss  was 
estimated  at  $50,000,  which  was  covered  by  insurance. 

Mrs.  Kellner  gives  the  following  incident  in  connection 
with  the  fire : 

"Mr.  Brooks  was  on  his  way  from  a  point  on  upper 
Fifth  Avenue  toward  the  church,  which  he  expected  to 
reach  in  time  for  an  afternoon  Lent  service,  when  a  boy, 
who  knew  him  by  sight,  ran  up  to  tell  him  of  the  fire. 
The  half  mile  of  distance  seemed  to  him  endless  as  he 
hurried  to  the  scene.  In  the  crowd  already  gathered, 
there  were  so  many  on  their  way  to  the  service,  prayer- 
book  in  hand,  as  to  give  a  sort  of  character  to  the  throng, 
and  as  people  made  space  for  the  rector  to  pass  through, 
a  neighboring  Presbyterian  minister  could  not  resist 
saying  to  him,  *You  Episcopalians  manage  your  fires 
with  as  much  decorum  as  you  do  everything  else.'  " 

Immediately  proffers  of  hospitality  to  use  their  respec- 
tive churches  were  received  from  neighboring  ministers. 


126  THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Indeed,  before  the  flames  had  been  extinguished,  Mr. 
Brooks  had  accepted  an  invitation  from  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Taylor  to  make  use  of  the  chapel  of  the  Broadway  Taber- 
nacle, corner  of  Thirty-fourth  Street  and  Sixth  Avenue, 
until  permanent  arrangements  could  be  made  nearer  the 
site  of  the  burned  church. 

Most  gratifying  to  the  rector  was  an  invitation  ex- 
tended by  the  trustees  of  the  Jewish  Temple  Emanu-El 
on  Fifth  Avenue,  to  hold  the  services  of  his  church  in  their 
temple  on  Sundays.  So  unexpected  an  offer  from  his 
Jewish  brethren  was  to  be  seriously  and  thoughtfully 
considered,  and  before  giving  his  reply  Mr.  Brooks  tele- 
graphed to  his  brother,  Dr.  Phillips  Brooks,  for  advice. 
As  was  to  be  expected  the  reply  came,  immediately,  ap- 
proving the  acceptance  of  the  hospitality  tendered  in  so 
friendly  a  spirit. 

It  was  a  most  singular  coincidence  that  the  day  when 
the  first  service  was  held  by  Mr.  Brooks  in  the  Temple 
Emanu-El  was  Palm  Sunday,  the  beginning  of  Holy 
Week.  The  Sunday  following  was  Easter  Day. 
Never  before,  probably,  had  such  an  occurrence  taken 
place,  as  that  the  walls  of  a  Jewish  temple  had  resound- 
ed with  the  anthems  of  a  Christian  people  on  the  anni- 
versary of  our  Lord's  resurrection. 

Dr.  Gotthiel,  the  Jewish  rabbi,  and  some  of  his  people 
were  present  at  the  first  Sunday  service.  The  Christian 
sacraments  were  not  administered  in  the  temple,  but  a 
celebration  of  the  Holy  Communion  was  held  at  nine 
o'clock  in  Zion  Church,  prior  to  the  service  of  morning 
prayer,  with  sermon,  in  Temple  Emanu-El. 

In  a  letter  to  his  parishioners,  the  rector  announced 
that  morning  services  would  be  held  on  Palm  Sunday 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  127 

(as  above  stated)  in  Zion  Church  and  in  the  Temple;  and 
evening  prayer  in  Christ  Church  at  four  o'clock. 

During  Holy  Week  prayers  were  said  every  morning 
in  Zion  Church,  and  also  evening  prayer  with  lecture  on 
three  afternoons. 

On  Good  Friday  the  two  congregations  worshipped  in 
Zion  Church,  where  a  celebration  of  the  Holy  Communion 
was  also  held  on  Maundy  Thursday  evening,  follow- 
ing the  custom  of  the  parish  since  its  foundation. 

On  Easter  (April  9th,  1882)  after  Holy  Communion  in 
Zion  Church  and  morning  prayer  in  Temple  Emanu-El, 
the  children's  carol  service  was  held  in  the  Church  of  the 
Holy  Trinity,  Madison  Avenue  and  Forty-second  Street. 

Later  in  the  season  services  were  held  in  the  Masonic 
Temple,  Sixth  Avenue  and  Twenty- third  Street.  The 
Sunday-school  sessions  were  held  in  the  chapel  of  the 
Broadway  Tabernacle. 

On  the  evening  of  Ascension  Day,  May  18th,  in  Zion 
Church  the  bishop  of  the  diocese  administered  confirma- 
tion to  candidates  from  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation. 

In  the  letter  which  Mr.  Brooks  immediately  sent  to  his 
people  he  said:  "The  first  object  has  been  to  provide  for 
all  demands  of  these  services  in  such  a  way  that  the  loss 
of  our  beloved  church  building,  which  has  been  so  closely 
connected  with  all  the  pleasure  and  profit  of  those  ser- 
vices in  past  seasons,  should  be  felt  as  little  as  possible. 
In  attaining  this  purpose  we  have  been  greatly  assisted 
by  the  universal  feeling  of  sympathy,  and  of  the  desire 
to  aid  us  in  our  calamity,  which  has  been  shown 
through  all  the  community." 

Immediately  after  the  fire  a  contract  was  made  for  the 
restoration  of  a  building,  at  a  cost  of  $32,845,  to  be  under 
supervision  of  Messrs.  D.    and  J.    Jardine,  architects 


128         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

The  church  was  accordinglj'^  rebuilt  upon  its  original 
lines,  the  nave  lengthened  and  a  transept  built  on  the 
north  side  to  contain  additional  pews,  and  to  have  a 
gallery  above.  The  chancel  was  deepened,  and  the  pul- 
pit moved  from  the  south  to  the  north  side  of  the  platform. 
An  entrance  to  the  church  was  made  in  the  south  wall 
near  the  chancel.  The  pews  were  removed  from  the 
western  gallery,  and  space  thus  became  available  for  a 
quartette  and  chorus  choir,  and  for  a  large  Roosevelt 
organ,  which  was  justly  regarded  as  the  finest  in  the  city. 
Certain  changes  were  also  made  in  the  chapel  building 
on  the  east  end  of  the  church,  whereby  ample  provision 
was  made  for  the  Sunday-school,  and  for  week-day  ser- 
vices. 

Among  many  proffers  of  hospitality  extended  to  the 
congregation  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation  was  one  of 
peculiar  interest  from  the  senior  warden  of  St.  George's 
Church.  This  church  had  been  without  a  rector  since 
May,  1881.  As  summer  was  approaching,  when  city 
congregations  are  very  small,  a  proposition  was  made  to 
the  rector  and  congregation  of  the  Church  of  the  Incar- 
nation to  worship  in  St.  George's  Church,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Brooks  to  be  virtually  in  officio  rectoris,  until  such  time  as 
St.  George's  should  secure  a  rector,  or  the  Incarnation 
Church  should  be  ready  for  occupancy. 

The  following  reply  of  Mr.  Brooks  explains  the  situa- 
tion : 

Rectory  of  the  Incarnation, 

New  York,  209  Madison  Ave. 
Mr.  Charles  Tracy. 
Dear  Sir: 

As  in  my  note  to  you  I  left  some  doubt  as  to  the 
ultimate  decision  of  the  vestry  of  the  Church  of  the 
Incarnation  on  the  offer  of  hospitality  of  St.  George's 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  129 

Church,  I  would  now  state  that  on  full  consideration 
of  the  subject  it  has  seemed  best  to  establish  our  ser- 
vices, until  the  restoration  of  our  church,  in  those 
localities  most  convenient  to  the  homes  of  the  con- 
gregation. Masonic  Hall  has  therefore  been  secured 
for  morning  services  on  Sunday  and  the  offer  of  Christ 
Church  accepted  for  Sunday  afternoons. 

In  thus  declining  the  kind  offer  of  St.  George's,  I 
would  express  on  behalf  of  the  vestry  and  of  all  the 
members  of  the  Church,  to  whom  it  has  been  made, 
the  fullest  appreciation  of  the  warm  feeling  and 
sympathy  which  it  conveyed.  And  for  myself  I  can 
say  that  it  would  have  given  me  great  pleasure  to 
have  officiated  in  the  church  and  ministered  to  its  con- 
gregation, had  such  a  course  seemed  for  the  best 
interests  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation. 

With  warmest  regards  I  am, 

Yours  very  sincerely, 

ARTHUR  BROOKS. 
May  1st,  1882. 

On  the  first  Sunday  after  the  fire,  service  was  held  in  the 
chapel  of  the  Broadway  Tabernacle  in  Thirty-fourth 
Street.  The  rector  took  for  his  text  Haggai  2,  4: 
"  Yet  now  be  strong  ...  all  ye  people  of  the  land, 
saith  the  Lord,  and  work;  for  I  am  with  you;  saith  the 
Lord  of  hosts."  He  said  in  substance;  as  reported  in  the 
secular  papers:  "I  will  not  attempt  to  explain  this  dis- 
pensation of  God,  nor  will  I  moralize  upon  it.  Indirectly 
it  has  taught  us  a  rich  lesson  of  Christian  sympathy. 
From  all  the  churches  we  have  had  offers  of  accommoda- 
tion and  sympathy.  Those,  too,  who  do  not  go  by  the 
name  of  Christian,  who  belong  to  that  older  dispensation 
— the  Jews — have  asked,  'Can  we  not  do  something  for 
you?' 


130         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

"During  these  past  seven  years  we  have  formed  a  deep 
attachment  for  the  place  in  which  we  had  worshipped  so 
long  together.  What  we  enjoyed  there  is  gone,  except 
to  memory.  But  what  we  did  lives.  On  the  last  Sunday 
when  we  worshipped  in  our  own  church  our  mission  col- 
lection was  larger  than  it  had  ever  been  before.  The 
visible  shell  is  indeed  destroyed,  but  the  invisible  life  is 
unchanged.  We  have  now  a  new  work  before  us,  that 
of  building  a  temple  to  God.  Last  Sunday  I  asked  you 
if  you  loved  your  church  as  you  ought  to?  I  did  not 
know  that  a  test  was  so  near  at  hand.  I  ask  you  the 
same  question  today." 

In  acknowledgment  of  the  courteous  offer  made  by 
Rabbi  Gotthiel,  the  following  resolution  was  passed  by 
the  vestry: 

Resolved:  That  we,  the  rector,  church  wardens 
and  vestrymen  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation 
tender  our  grateful  acknowledgments  to  the  Rabbi, 
trustees  and  congregation  of  the  Temple  Emanu-El 
for  their  prompt  kindness  and  extreme  courtesy  in 
tendering  to  our  congregation  in  their  misfortune, 
consequent  upon  the  partial  destruction  of  their 
church  building  by  fire,  the  use  of  their  edifice  for 
Sunday  morning  services  during  the  month  of  April. 

We  desire  to  express  the  great  pleasure  which  we  are 
aware  that  it  has  given  to  all  our  congregation  to 
receive  this  evidence  of  good  feeling  and  kind  wishes 
from  the  Rabbi,  trustees  and  congregation  of  the  Tem- 
ple Emanu-El  and  we  beg  to  assure  them  that  our 
brief  occupancy  of  their  beautiful  building  will  ever 
be  remembered  by  us  with  most  cordial  feelings  of 
gratitude,  respect  and  good  will. 

Other  resolutions  of  thanks  were  passed ; "  to  the  trustees 
of  the  Church  of  the  Covenant,  for  the  use  of  their  lec- 
ture room  for  parish  meetings;"  to  the  rector  and  vestry 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  131 

of  Zion  Church  for  the  hospitable  accommodations 
afforded  by  them,  adding  that  "our  congregation  will 
ever  remember  with  great  pleasure  the  joint  services 
in  which  we  have  been  allowed  to  take  part,  and  the 
occasions  on  which  the  use  of  Zion  Church  has  been  so 
freely  accorded  for  the  services  of  our  own  congregation." 

To  the  trustees  of  the  Broadway  Tabernacle  resolu- 
tions expressed  "warm  appreciation  of  the  prompt 
kindness  and  continued  hospitality  of  which  we  have 
received  such  constant  proof  since  the  partial  destruction 
by  fire  of  our  church  building.  To  our  congregation  and 
Sunday-school  alike  it  has  given  us  the  greatest  pleasure 
to  make  use  of  the  comfortable  and  well  appointed  lec- 
ture room  which  has  been  placed  at  our  disposal." 

A  vote  of  thanks  was  also  sent  to  the  vestry  of  Christ 
Church  for  their  kindness  in  giving  the  use  of  their  build- 
ing for  afternoon  services. 

In  view  of  the  distressing  calamity  which  had  befallen 
the  parish,  the  rector  was  anxious  to  share  with  his  people 
the  burden  which  they  had  been  called  upon  to  bear,  and 
he  therefore  addressed  the  following  letter  to  the  vestry, 
October  27th,  1882: 

A  year  ago  my  salary  was  raised  to  six  thousand 
dollars  per  annum.  I  now  request  that  it  should  be 
placed  again  at  its  former  sum  of  five  thousand  dol- 
lars for  the  year  beginning  November  1st,  1882.  The 
prospect  of  diminished  income  to  the  Church,  owing 
to  the  new  work  which  has  so  unexpectedly  come  upon 
us  demands  a  rigid  economy  and  reduction  of  all  pos- 
sible expenses,  with  which  such  action  would  be  most 
completely  in  harmony.  I  would  respectfully  urge 
that  no  motives  of  personal  consideration  should  be 
allowed  to  interfere  with  the  taking  of  such  action 
which  would  be  to  me  most  grateful  and  pleasing. 


132         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Trusting  that  you  will  consider  this  request  as  one 
which  is  to  be  looked  upon  in  the  light  of  a  personal 
favor  to  me,  and  asking  for  that  deference  to  my 
wishes,  which  I  am  so  accustomed  to  receive  at  your 
hands,  I  am 

Very  sincerely  your  friend, 

ARTHUR  BROOKS. 

This  communication  from  the  rector  was  entered  in 
full  upon  the  minutes,  and  the  clerk  was  instructed  to 
inform  Mr.  Brooks  that,  whilst  his  wishes  were  fully 
appreciated,  his  request  was  respectfully  declined. 

The  Church  of  the  Incarnation  was  re-opened  for  ser- 
vice the  Fourth  Sunday  in  Advent,  December  24th,  1882, 
and  the  congregation  was  much  gratified  to  find  an  en- 
larged and  attractive  building.  The  rector  preached 
from  the  text:  Psalms  CXXI:1.  "I  was  glad  when  they 
said  unto  me  let  us  go  into  the  house  of  the  Lord." 
There  was  no  formal  ceremony  of  opening.  The  service 
went  on  as  heretofore,  the  church  was  in  its  Christmas 
dress,  ready  for  the  glad  service  of  double  rejoicing  on  the 
morrow,  commemorating  the  birth  of  the  Saviour,  in 
His  newly  restored  House  of  Prayer. 

On  the  evening  of  December  31st  the  "Watch  Night'* 
service  was  always  held  in  accordance  with  its  institution 
by  Dr.  Montgomery.  The  early  part  of  the  service 
began  at  1 1 :30  o'clock,  consisting  of  prayer  and  singing 
and  an  address.  At  the  hour  of  midnight  the  clock 
gave  the  signal  of  the  passing  of  the  old  year,  and 
immediately  thereafter  came  the  joyous  greetings  from 
the  rector,  and  appropriate  music. 

After  the  restoration  of  the  church  the  windows  which 
had  been  destroyed  were  replaced  by  others,  as  memorials 
of  deceased  friends. 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  133 

Beginning  on  the  south  side  of  the  church,  the  window 
nearest  the  west  wall  represents  our  Lord's  resurrection 
and  ascension.  It  is  the  gift  of  Mrs.  John  H.  Hall  in 
memory  of  her  parents,  Augustus  H.  Ward  (1801-69) 
and  Anna  Martha  Ward  (1807-86),  and  was  made  by 
Henry  Holiday  of  London. 

The  second  window  is  a  study  from  the  Old  Testament. 
In  one  division  is  shown  the  giving  of  the  law  by  Moses; 
in  the  other,  representing  respectively  the  Prophets  and 
the  Psalms,  are  figures  of  Isaiah  and  David.  In  the 
quatref oils,  are  scales  and  a  refiner's  crucible.  The  window 
is  to  the  memory  of  Albert  Cole,  and  was  executed  by 
Heaton,  Butler  &  Bayne,  London. 

The  third  window,  to  the  memory  of  Mr.  A.  C.  Pulling 
(1825-84),  a  former  vestryman,  is  designed  to  represent 
the  spirit  of  the  New  Testament,  by  the  spread  of  the 
gospel.  It  depicts  St.  Paul  preaching  on  Mars  Hill. 
Two  other  figures  represent  his  companions,  St.  Luke  and 
St.  Barnabas.  The  window  was  made  by  Messrs.  Clay- 
ton &  Bell,  London. 

The  fourth  window,  in  memory  of  Captain  John  Riley 
(1814-84),  represents  the  calling  of  the  apostles  by  the 
Master,  at  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  The  lower  lights  display 
medallions  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  John.  The  idea  sought 
to  be  conveyed  is  Christian  discipleship.  The  artist 
was  John  LaFarge,  New  York. 

The  fifth  window  embodies  the  idea  of  parental  and 
Christian  nurture.  The  lower  division  represents  Jacob 
blessing  his  children,  and  the  upper  one  shows  the  Christ 
giving  His  commission  to  St.  Peter.  The  window  is  from 
the  studio  of  Henry  Holiday,  London,  and  is  the  gift  of 
Mr.  John  L.  Riker. 

The  sixth  window,  in  memory  of  a  child  of  Mr.  George 


134         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

W.  Smith,  illustrates  the  text:  "In  heaven  their  angels 
do  always  behold  the  face  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heav- 
en;" and  also  contains  the  scriptural  verse:  "Those  that 
be  planted  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  shall  flourish  in  the 
courts  of  our  God."     The  artist  was  John  LaFarge. 

Two  small  windows  adjoining  are  in  memory  of  infant 
children,  and  are  designed  to  convey  the  idea  of  "the 
angels  of  God  ascending  and  descending."  They  were 
made  by  William  Morris,  London,  and  are  gifts  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  John  T.  Ijams  and  of  Mr.  J.  L.  Hiker. 

On  the  same  side  of  the  church,  above  the  south  en- 
trance is  a  window,  placed  by  the  Sunday-school  of  the 
parish  to  the  memory  of  their  superintendent,  Mr.  George 
N.  Hale.  The  design  is  that  of  a  Christian  pilgrim  with 
staff  and  scrip.     The  artist  was  Louis  Tiffany,  New  York. 

On  the  north  wall  of  the  church,  near  the  transept,  is  a 
window  designed  to  delineate  two  sides  of  the  Christian 
character,  faith  and  charity,  as  suggested  by  figures  of  the 
Virgin  Mary  and  of  Dorcas.  The  window  is  in  memory  of 
Claude  S.  Brownrigg,  who  died  November  3d,  1862,  and 
it  replaces  the  large  western  window  to  her  memory, 
which  was  destroyed  by  fire;  Henry  Holliday,  artist. 

The  next  window  is  in  memoriam  of  Elizabeth  Fuller 
and  George  W.  Fuller.  The  lower  lights  show  Christ 
feeding  the  multitude,  and  the  upper  lights  depict  Moses 
and  the  Israelites  being  fed  with  manna  in  the  wilderness. 
The  thought  conveyed  is  that  of  "compassion  upon  the 
multitude;"  designed  by  Cottin  &  Co.,  London. 

The  third  window,  the  gift  of  Mrs.  Hall,  is  in  memory  of 
John  Hudson  Hall,  and  is  beautiful  both  in  conception 
and  execution.  It  conveys  the  thought  of  the  love  of 
Jesus,  showing  St.  John  leaning  upon  his  Master's  breast. 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  135 

and  the  preparation  of  Jesus  for  his  earthly  ministry, 
by  his  presence  as  a  child  in  the  temple. 

Jesus  with  Martha  and  Mary  at  the  tomb  of  Lazarus 
is  the  subject  of  the  fourth  window.  The  upper  portion 
is  brilliant  with  the  light  radiating  from  attendant  angels, 
who  are  sounding  the  trumpet  note  of  victory.  The 
window  is  the  gift  of  Mrs.  Albert  Coles  in  memory  of  her 
young  daughter,  Mary  Albertine  Coles,  and  was  designed 
by  Mr.  Wilson  of  the  Tiffany  Glass  Company. 

A  window  to  the  memory  of  William  and  Maria 
Watson  illustrates  the  Twenty-third  Psalm:  "The 
Lord  is  my  Shepherd;"  designed  by  the  Tiffany  Glass 
and  Decorative  Company,  New  York. 

The  only  window  on  the  west  wall  of  the  church  is 
designed  to  express  the  idea  of  the  dignity  of  labor.  In 
the  upper  lights  Jesus  is  represented  as  a  child  in  the 
workshop  of  Joseph.  In  the  lower  lights  are  medallions 
expressive  of  the  command  and  of  the  reward  of  labor. 
The  window  is  in  memory  of  John  W.  Britton  and  was 
executed  by  the  Tiffany  Glass  and  Decorative  Company, 
New  York. 

Upon  the  south  wall  of  the  church  is  a  tablet  of  marble 
and  brass  to  the  memory  of  Henry  Eagle,  commodore, 
United  States  Navy,  who  was  a  communicant  in  the 
parish,  and  whose  family  still  attend  the  church. 

Commodore  Eagle  was  born  in  New  York  in  1801. 
His  commissions  in  the  navy  were:  Lieutenant  1827, 
Commander  1844,  Captain  1855,  Commodore  1862; 
retired  1863,  but  served  actively  until  1867.  He  was  in 
the  Mexican  war;  and  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion, 
1861;  he  made  the  first  naval  attack  and  silenced  the 
guns  at  Sewall's  Point,  Norfolk.  Commanding  the 
frigate  Santee,   he  blockaded   the   port   of    Galveston, 


136         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Texas.  He  was  also  sometime  commander  in  the  military 
Order  of  the  Loyal  Legion  of  the  United  States.  His 
death  occurred  in  November,  1882,  and  his  grave  in 
Woodlawn  Cemetery  is  near  that  of  his  former  comrade, 
Farragut. 

The  inscription  upon  the  tablet  reads  "In  memory  of 
Henry  Eagle,  Commodore  United  States  Navy.  Born 
April  7,  1801.  Died  November  26,  1882.  'Malo  Mori 
quam  Foedari.'  " 

A  quarto  Bible  for  the  reading  desk,  the  gift  of  Mrs. 
John  W.  Haven,  was  for  many  years  in  constant  use,  and 
was  saved  from  the  fire. 

In  the  refurnishing  of  the  church  after  the  fire,  a  set  of 
prayer-books  for  the  chancel  was  given  by  Mr.  George 
G.  Haven  in  memory  of  his  mother. 

The  large  Bible  which  rests  upon  the  eagle  lectern  was 
the  gift  of  Carrie  J.  Turner  and  Edmund  W.  Bulkley, 
March  16th,  1870. 

A  silver  offertory  reception  basin,  given  to  Dr.  Mont- 
gomery, was  presented  by  his  widow  to  the  church  after 
his  death  and  is  thus  inscribed : 

Christmas,  1874.  Presented  by  Mrs.  Margaret 
Montgomery  to  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  in 
memory  of  her  late  husband,  who  after  nineteen  years 
of  service  entered  into  his  rest  October  1874. 

The  handsomely  carved  and  unusually  spacious  pulpit 
on  the  gospel  side  of  the  chancel  was  a  gift  from  Mr. 
Thomas  B.  Tweddle  in  memory  of  Jane  M.  Tweddle.  It 
was  patterned  after  a  pulpit  in  an  Italian  cathedral 
which  Mr.  Brooks  had  much  admired. 

Mr.  Gordon  Norrie  presented  the  carved  oak  lectern; 
and  the  carved  chancel  chair  was  the  gift  of    Theresa, 


OWEN  MEMORIAL  FONT 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  137 

Florence  and  Theodore  Schiff  in  memory  of  their  father 
Gustave  H.  Schiff. 

A  font,  unique  in  design  and  of  much  artistic  merit, 
was  the  gift  of  Mrs.  Thomas  J.  Owen.  This  font,  which 
stands  on  the  north  side  of  the  pulpit,  the  work  of  Louis 
St.  Gaudens,  has  a  circular  shallow  bowl  of  Sienna  mar- 
ble, supported  by  a  single  stone  pillar  with  broad  square 
base.  Standing  in  the  centre  of  this  bowl  is  a  bronze 
figure  of  the  youthful  St.  John  the  Baptist,  holding  a 
reed  cross  in  his  left  hand,  and  having  his  right  hand 
raised  as  in  the  act  of  speaking.  Carved  upon  the  stone 
pedestal  is  a  Greek  cross,  with  the  legend  "In  hoc  signo 
vinces."  Behind  the  font,  as  a  mural  decoration,  is  a 
broad  entablature  containing  the  verse  of  scripture 
quoted  from  I  Peter  III :  21: — ^"Even  baptism  doth  also 
now  save  us."  Upon  either  side  of  this  entablature  stands 
the  figure  of  an  angel  in  bold  relief,  indicative  of  the 
Church  militant  and  the  Church  triumphant.  The 
inscription  upon  the  font  is:  "In  memoriam,  Allen 
M.  Owen;  Thomas  J.  Owen,  3rd;  Emilie  Owen." 

Upon  the  north  wall  of  the  church  is  this  memorial 
inscription : 

Mary  Bacon  born  48  Pine  Street,  December  8th, 
1811,  died  at  Rome,  Oneida  County,  February  2nd, 
1885. 

During  the  summer  the  Rev.  Mr.  Widdemer  tendered 
to  the  rector  his  resignation  as  assistant  minister  of  the 
parish,  to  take  effect  October  15th,  1882.  At  a  meeting 
of  the  vestry  on  September  27th,  the  following  resolution 
was  adopted : 

Resolved:  That  this  Board,  appreciating  the 
service  which  has  been  rendered  to  its  mission  during 
ten  full  years  by  the  Rev.  E.  S.  Widdemer,  who  has 


138         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

resigned  his  pastoral  charge,  extends  to  Mr.  Widde- 
mer  its  sincere  wish  for  his  welfare  and  success  in  his 
future  work,  and  in  whatever  position  he  may  be 
called  to  fill. 

Mr.  Widdemer's  ministrations  had  continued  longer 
than  that  of  any  of  his  predecessors  at  the  chapel.  With- 
in his  ten  years  of  service  in  the  parish  he  had  seen  con- 
siderable growth  in  the  Sunday-school,  had  ministeredto 
a,  large  number  of  people,  and  had  increased  the  communi- 
cants' list  very  materially.  The  young  people  were 
especially  his  care,  and  worked  systematically  and  dili- 
gently to  help  the  plans  he  laid  before  them,  ever  looking 
to  the  time  when  they  should  have  a  chapel  and  parish 
house  worthy  of  the  spiritual  growth  of  the  work.  His 
succcessor  found  many  evidences  among  the  aged  par- 
ishioners of  his  solicitude  for  their  material  welfare  and 
his  faithful  clinic  visitations. 

The  Sunday-school  at  the  chapel  has  always  been  the 
pride  of  the  parish.  Many  young  men  and  women  from 
the  parish  church  found  there  an  attractive  feature  of 
mission  work,  and  an  intelligent  class  of  children  ready 
to  receive  instruction.  During  this  period  of  parish 
history  the  superintendents  of  the  Sunday-school  were 
Mr.  J.  Hobart  Herrick,  1872;  Mr.  Henry  H. 
Truman,  1883-85;  Mr.  John  T.  Ijams,  1885-89;  Mr. 
Frederick  T.  West,  1889-91;  Rev.  Mr.  Perkins,  1891-2; 
Mr.  Ijams  1893-5.  There  were  Bible  classes,  for  young 
men  and  young  women,  an  infant  department  averaging 
two  hundred  children,  and  the  main  body  of  the  school, 
numbering  from  four  to  five  hundred  pupils,  whose  ages 
ranged  from  ten  to  seventeen  years.  The  International 
system  of  lessons  was  used,  supplemented  at  Christmas 
a,nd  Easter  by  leaflets  specially  prepared  to  emphasize 


CHAPEL  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

(Church  of  the  Reconciliation) 
and  the  Parish  House,  188!^ 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  139 

the  teachings  of  the  Christian  year.  The  children  were 
encouraged  to  attend  the  regular  services  of  the  church 
and  were  contributors  to  the  Domestic  and  Foreign 
Missionary  Society,  and  to  special  causes  as  presented. 

The  large  infant  class  was  taught  successively  by  Miss 
Josephine  Ely,  Mr.  Fairchild,  Miss  Emily  Slade  and  Mr. 
H.  Louis  Slade;  a  Bible  class  for  young  men  was  under 
the  teaching  of  Mr.  Woodbury  G.  Langdon;  and  one 
for  young  women,  instructed  by  Mr.  William  Jay  Ives, 
met  in  the  parlor  of  the  parish  house  each  Sunday. 

When  Mr.  Ives  was  obliged  to  withdraw,  the  large 
class,  which  for  five  years  he  had  instructed,  was  divided 
into  two  classes  and  was  continued  in  the  afternoon,  in 
the  parlor  of  the  parish  house,  successively  by  Miss  Ruflf, 
Miss  Wardell,  Mrs.  CM.  Parker,  Miss  Adelaide  Macy 
and  Miss  Anna  L.  Horn.  Upon  the  retirement  of  Mr. 
Langdon  the  class  of  young  men  was  taught  by  Mr.  Riley 
A.  Brick. 

The  services  in  the  chapel  were  fairly  well  attended, 
but  there  was  little  to  interest  the  older  people  aside  from 
their  natural  love  for  the  church,  the  music  and  the  ser- 
mon. 

There  was  a  foreign  population  in  the  neighborhood 
who  cared  but  little  for  church  going,  but  who  sent  their 
children  to  the  Sunday-school  and  to  all  social  entertain- 
ments. After  they  had  been  confirmed  the  parents  were 
quite  indifferent  to  their  religious  welfare,  and  it  was 
evident  that  unless  the  children  could  be  infused  with  a 
spirit  of  love  and  reverence  for  the  Church,  the  outlook 
for  growth  was  not  encouraging. 

The  Sunday-school  was  under  a  superintendent  and 
volunteer  teachers  from  the  parish  church,  who,  when  the 
session  of  the  school  was  over,  immediately  left  to  attend 


140         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

their  own  service.  This  arrangement  naturally  had  a 
tendency  to  make  the  children  follow  their  example,  in 
not  remaining  for  the  morning  service  in  the  chapel. 

To  overcome  this  tendency  a  plan  was  formulated 
which  proved  very  successful,  to  interest  the  young  peo- 
ple in  the  church  services.  "The  Church  Society," 
organized  in  1883,  banded  together  a  large  number  of 
them,  under  promise  of  a  reward  each  Whitsunday  for  a 
year's  faithful  attendance  and  correct  deportment,  at 
one  church  service  each  Sunday. 

The  music  of  the  chapel  was  improved  and  inducements 
offered  to  the  young  women  and  young  men  to  join  a 
choral  society  for  instruction  preparatory  to  becoming 
members  of  the  choir. 

To  make  the  preaching  attractive  to  the  people  and  to 
afford  them  an  opportunity  to  hear  clergymen  of  note,  the 
pastor  had  the  cordial  co-operation  of  his  clerical  breth- 
ren, who  frequently  visited  the  chapel  on  Sunday  even- 
ings, and  the  names  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Henry  C.  Potter,  Dr. 
Courtney,  Dr.  William  F.  Morgan,  Canon  Knox-Little 
and  others  frequently  appear  on  the  records,  together 
with  that  of  the  rector,  as  preachers  at  the  chapel. 

The  parish  suffered  a  loss  of  three  prominent  members 
of  its  vestry  within  a  compass  of  fifteen  months. 

Mr.  William  B.  Clerke,  one  of  the  earliest  members  of 
the  parish,  died  in  July,  1883.  The  vestry  entered  an 
appropriate  minute  on  its  record-book,  expressive  of  their 
great  sorrow  at  parting  with  one  who  had  been  a  member 
of  the  parish  since  1854;  a  member  of  its  vestry  from 
1859  to  1873;  its  junior  warden  to  the  day  of  his  death: 
and  for  years  the  clerk  of  the  vestry. 

Mr.  Abraham  C.  Pulling,  vestryman  of  the  church, 
died  June  17th,  1884.     The  rector  called  a  special  meeting 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  141 

of  the  vestry  to  take  action  upon  the  death  of  one  who 
had  been  so  long  connected  with  the  parish.  This  min- 
ute was  made  upon  the  records  of  the  vestry  expressing 
the  sense  of  severe  loss  which  the  church  had  suffered  in 
the  death  of  Mr.  Pulling:  "From  the  first  moment  of  his 
connection  with  the  vestry,  of  which  he  had  been  a  mem- 
ber for  six  years,  his  ready  support  and  wide  counsel 
made  him  a  valued  friend  and  assistant  in  all  its  labors. 
We  thank  God  for  the  Christian  fellowship  which  we  have 
enjoyed  with  him." 

In  October,  the  rector  announced  to  the  vestry  the 
death  of  Dr.  Samuel  Morgan  Valentine,  which  had  oc- 
curred in  Switzerland,  on  August  7th,  1884.  A  suitable 
minute  was  made  upon  the  vestry  records  rehears- 
ing Dr.  Valentine's  connection  with  the  church  from 
the  time  of  its  oganization.  He  became  a  vestryman  in 
1854,  and  was  elected  warden  in  1863,  succeeding  to  the 
position  of  senior  warden  which  he  held  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  Such  a  record  of  itself  tells  how  highly  valued  his 
services  have  been  in  the  church  and  how  faithful  he  has 
been  to  every  trust;  but  it  expresses  very  poorly  the 
service  which  he  has  rendered  to  the  cause  of  Christ  by 
his  labor  and  gifts,  and  by  his  constant  example  of  fidel- 
ity and  devotion. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Henry  C.  Potter,  rector  of  Grace  Church, 
recently  elected  assistant  bishop  of  New  York,  was 
consecrated  in  that  church,  October  20th,  1883. 

The  service  was  most  impressive.  Bishop  Williams 
of  Connecticut  was  the  preacher.  The  venerable  Ben- 
jamin Bosworth  Smith,  Presiding  Bishop,  was  the  con- 
secrator,  assisted  by  Bishops  Horatio  Potter  of  New 
York,  Bishop  Clark  of  Rhode  Island,  and  many  others. 
Bishop  Smith,  nearly  ninety  years  of  age,  was  unable  by 


142         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

reason  of  infirmity  to  be  present  during  the  earlier  part 
of  the  service.  Later,  at  the  time  his  services  were 
required,  he  advanced  slowly  towards  the  chancel  from 
the  robing  room,  leaning  upon  two  presbyters,  the  Rev. 
Charles  T.  Olmsted  and  the  Rev.  Arthur  Brooks.  Dr. 
Olmsted  is  the  present  Bishop  of  Central  New  York, 
and  Dr.  Brooks  has  since  departed  to  the  higher  life. 
Bishop  Potter  became  the  sixth  bishop  of  New  York  in 
1887,  and  died  July  21st,  1908.  Bishop  Smith  died  in 
1884,  six  months  after  this  consecration  service. 

The  following  incident  is  related  as  illustrative  of  Mr. 
Brooks'  readiness  as  an  extempore  speaker. 

In  the  summer  of  1883  he  was  a  guest  at  the  commence- 
ment exercises  at  Williams  College,  and,  at  the  suggestion 
of  Mr.  Franics  Lynde  Stetson,  Mr.  Brooks  was  invited  to 
speak  at  the  college  dinner. 

Mr.  Stetson,  recalling  the  occasion,  has  written: 

"This  speech  was  of  peculiar  interest,  for  most  unex- 
pectedly the  principal  guest,  the  Governor  of  the  Com- 
monwealth, General  Butler,  had  chosen  this  as  his  oppor- 
tunity to  make  an  attack  upon  Harvard,  which  at  its 
commencement,  in  the  previous  week,  had  been  averted 
only  by  the  tact  of  Mr.  Choate,  the  presiding  oflScer. 
The  resentful  speech  intended  for  delivery  there,  by 
Governor  Butler,  as  he  then  confided  to  Mr.  Choate,  he 
discharged  here  in  the  Berkshire  college,  apparently 
unconscious  of  any  possible  Harvard  presence.  But  the 
speaker  next  called  upon  was  Mr.  Brooks,  who  without 
a  moment's  hesitation  took  up  the  cudgels  for  his  alma 
mater  and,  equally  to  the  amazement  of  the  Governor, 
and  the  satisfaction  of  the  audience,  made  a  reply  per- 
fect in  form  and  dignity  and  overwhelming  in  effective- 
ness.    He  finely  exhibited  his  capacity  for  debate  in 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  14S 

which,  according  to  competent  judges,  he  was  unsur- 
passed in  the  councils  of  the  American  Church." 

This  incident  illustrates  Mr.  Brooks'  readiness  as  an 
extempore  speaker.  The  following  comment  from  the 
New  York  Tribune  refers  to  his  ability  as  an  earnest  and 
emphatic  pulpit  orator: 

The  most  striking  characteristic  of  Arthur  Brooks 
as  a  preacher  is  the  phenomenal  exuberance  of  his 
thought.  This  characteristic  would  amount  almost 
to  a  defect  were  it  not  that  the  thought  is  always 
worth  the  thinking,  and  consequently  worth  uttering. 
Mr.  Brooks  is  not  a  word-monger,  he  does  not  de- 
pend for  his  success  upon  the  sonorous  ring  of  a  well- 
balanced  sentence,  or  upon  the  deft  use  of  rhetoric. 
As  one  listens  to  him  he  feels  that  a  man  is  talking 
to  you  of  the  problems  that  he  has  felt  and  tried  to 
solve,  and  that  their  number  and  greatness  have 
taken  complete  possession  of  him.  Those  who  ha- 
bitually listen  to  Mr.  Brooks  cannot  help  thinking  that 
the  thoughts  which  he  is  about  to  utter  stand  out 
clearly  before  his  mental  vision.  He  sees  them  aa 
clearly  as  he  sees  his  audience.  That  under  such 
circumstances  he  speaks  with  perfect  ease  and  facility 
is  only  natural.  He  is  reading  just  as  much  as  the 
man  with  a  manuscript  before  him,  only  instead  of 
reading  from  a  material  manuscript,  he  reads  from 
a  beautiful,  clearly-defined  mental  vision,  in  which 
there  are  no  erasures,  no  interlineations,  and  no  ob- 
scure passages.  His  preaching  will  awaken  a  re- 
sponse in  the  heart  of  all  who  can  appreciate  a  ripe 
scholar  and  an  acute  and  earnest  thinker. 

In  October,  1884,  the  vestry,  after  conference  with  the 
rector,  thought  it  desirable  that  some  effort  should  be 
made  to  reach  that  part  of  the  city  where  our  Church 
services  were  not  held,  and  thereupon  passed  the  following 
resolution : 


144         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

That  a  committee  of  three  be  appointed  by  the 
rector  to  advise  and  co-operate  with  him  with  regard 
to  measures  looking  to  the  opening  of  services,  and 
extension  of  Church  privileges,  in  that  part  of  the 
city  lying  west  of  Central  Park. 

The  rector  appointed  such  committee:  Messrs.  Craw- 
ford, Byers  and  Stetson. 

Bethlehem  Chapel,  a  small  building  on  Eighth  Avenue, 
west  of  Central  Park,  had  been  recently  under  charge  of 
the  City  Mission  Society  in  connection  with  its  work 
among  Germans,  but  the  population  of  squatters  in  and 
around  the  park  had  gradually  disappeared,  and  a  large 
number  of  first-class  dwelling  houses  was  being  built  in 
that  neighborhood,  by  a  member  of  the  parish  of  the  In- 
carnation. Dr.  Brooks  was  invited  to  hold  service  in 
Bethlehem  Chapel  with  a  view  to  making  it  a  centre  for 
mission  work,  and  eventually  establishing  there  an 
independent  parish.  The  vestry,  having  approved  of  the 
suggestion,  Mr.  Brooks  held  Sunday  evening  service 
there  for  several  months;  but  the  undertaking  was  not 
satisfactory  to  him.  The  congregation,  which  it  had 
hoped  could  be  drawn  from  the  neighborhood  and  give 
adequate  support  to  the  work,  did  not  materialize. 
There  being  no  certain  provision  made  to  carry  on  the 
work,  the  enterprise  was  abandoned. 

In  1884,  on  the  last  Sunday  in  January,  being  the 
twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the  chapel, 
the  pastor  aroused  interest  in  the  people  by  having  pres- 
ent the  Rev.  M.  E.  Willing,  the  first  missionary  of  the 
chapel,  who  gave  an  account  of  the  earlier  stages  of  the 
work,  and  among  other  items  of  interest  stated  that  on 
May  25th,  1859,  Bishop  H.  Potter  preached  in  the  chapel, 
baptized  the  infant  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Willing, 


U 
H 


O 

z 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  145 

and  confirmed  a  son  of  Colonel  Totten.  He  said  also 
that  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hawks,  rector  of  Calvary  Church,  had 
given  to  Dr.  Montgomery  the  seats  for  the  mission  chapel, 
and  a  painting  to  be  placed  in  the  chancel. 

On  the  evening  of  that  Sunday  the  rector  of  the  parish 
preached  in  the  chapel  from  the  text  St.  John  XV:  4.  He 
congratulated  the  people  upon  the  successful  prosecution 
of  the  work  in  the  past,  and  bade  them  realize  that  the 
prosperity  of  the  chapel  depended  upon  their  faithfuness 
and  zeal  in  the  Christian  life. 

The  young  people  were  taught  to  be  givers  as  well  as 
receivers;  to  prepare  simple  gifts  to  send  to  the  poorer 
children  at  Christmas  and  to  sew  garments  for  them. 

Each  confirmation  class  made  a  gift  of  some  article 
for  use  in  the  chancel.  Thus,  by  gift  of  a  set  of  books,  or 
book-rests,  or  a  brass  lectern,  or  separate  pieces  of  a 
communion  set,  they  were  encouraged  to  recognize  their 
obligations  to  the  Church  in  a  pleasing  manner,  and  to  see 
their  gifts  in  constant  use. 

The  chapel  received  from  Miss  Willis  of  the  parish 
church  finely  embroidered  communion  linen  and  a  white 
antependium  for  the  pulpit.  Mrs.  Fuller  also  presented 
one  of  red  velvet  embroidered  in  gold  bullion. 

There  being  many  German  families  in  the  neighborhood 
whose  children  attended  Sunday-school,  but  who  did 
not  go  to  any  church,  an  experiment  was  tried  of 
holding  a  service  for  them  in  the  German  tongue  in  the 
parlor  of  the  parish  house.  The  Rev.  Gustave  W.  Mayer 
was  given  charge  of  these  services,  and  for  a  year  they 
were  attended  by  a  congregation  averaging  about  thirty 
people. 

Several  of  the  ladies  of  the  church  under  Miss  Alice 
Jay's     direction,     interested    themselves     in    a   move- 


146         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

ment  undertaken  throughout  the  city  to  instruct  China- 
men. In  1884  a  Sunday-school  for  them  was  opened  in 
the  parish  chapel  in  Thirty-fifth  Street;  the  average 
attendance  was  twelve  and  the  work  gave  gratifying 
results.  The  difficulty  experienced  was  to  procure  suit- 
able teachers,  inasmuch  as  each  Chinaman  had  to  have 
an  individual  teacher.  Because  of  this  drawback,  and 
for  other  causes,  there  came  a  decided  falling  off  in  the 
number  of  pupils,  so  that  after  seven  years'  continuance 
the  school  was  closed. 

In  the  church  of  the  Holy  Communion  on  Trinity 
Sunday,  May  31st,  1885,  the  Assistant  Bishop  of  the 
Diocese  admitted  to  the  diaconate  certain  members  for 
the  graduating  class  of  the  General  Theological  Seminary. 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Brooks  was  the  preacher.  He  also  united 
with  other  presbyters  in  laying  hands  upon  two  can- 
didates for  the  priesthood,  the  Rev.  Thomas  W.  Nicker- 
son,  Jr.,  and  the  Rev.  Howard  MacDougal. 

Although  the  work  of  rebuilding  the  church  had  been 
completed,  so  that  divine  service  was  resumed  within  a 
year  from  the  date  of  the  fire,  yet  in  order  to  allow  time 
for  the  settling  and  drying  of  the  walls,  the  ornamental 
work  in  the  interior  was  not  undertaken  until  the  summer 
of  1885. 

The  decorations  of  the  chancel  were  exceedingly  ar- 
tistic. Two  mural  paintings  from  the  brush  of  Mr.  John 
LaFarge,  which  were  placed  on  either  side  of  a  large 
central  cross,  above  the  Communion  table,  represented 
the  visit  of  "wise  men  from  the  East"  to  the  infant 
Saviour.  Other  decorations  of  the  chancel  consisted  of 
a  gilded  half  dome  ceiling,  and  walls  of  subdued  colors  in 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  147 

blue  and  terra  cotta.     Additional  light  was  gained  in  the 
chancel  by  windows  let  into  the  roof. 

The  Sunday-schools  of  the  parish  were  always  objects 
of  great  interest  to  the  rector,  who  was  especially  devoted 
to  the  education  of  the  young.  It  was  his  sorrow  that 
his  constant  appeals  to  the  congregation  to  send  their 
children  to  the  Sunday  morning  session  of  the  parish 
school  met  with  so  feeble  a  response.  Taking  the  year 
1885  as  a  date  for  illustrating  the  prosperity  of  the  work, 
the  roll  of  the  parish  school  shows  only  one  hundred  and 
six  children,  under  fourteen  teachers.  Mr.  Francis  L. 
Stetson  was  superintendent. 

If  the  school  was  not  as  large  in  numbers  as  could  be 
hoped  for,  the  contributions  for  missionary  objects  were 
most  creditable.  The  total  for  this  year  was  $676.40, 
applied  to  scholarships  in  Japan,  China  and  Africa,  to 
the  Indian  missions,  the  home  mission,  the  Sheltering 
Arms,  The  Bethlehem  Day  Nursery  and  the  summer 
home.  In  addition  barrels  of  clothing  and  gifts  were 
sent  by  the  school  to  missions  in  Virginia  and  Dakota. 

It  was  at  this  time  that  the  Sunday-school  at  the  chapel 
superintended  by  Mr.  J.  T.  Ijams,  gave  great  encourage- 
ment to  those  who  were  devoting  themselves  to  its  de- 
velopment. The  names  of  over  eleven  hundred  pupils 
and  sixty-four  teachers  were  on  the  roll;  including  the 
infant  class  under  charge  of  the  Misses  Colton,  and  three 
Bible  classes  taught  by  Mr.  Riley  A.  Brick,  Miss  Adelaide 
Macy  and  Miss  J.  du  B.  Roberts. 

The  offerings  of  the  school  were  given  to  the  Sheltering 
Arms,  St.  Johnland,  Miss  Burgwin's  School,  Aspinwall, 
Va.,  to  St.  Luke's  (colored)  Church,  Washington,  to  the 
support  of  a  colored  student  and  to  the  foreign  mission 
field. 


148         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

The  Rev.  Francis  L.  H.  Pott  of  St.  John's  College, 
Shanghai,  upon  one  occasion  told  the  children  that  any 
number  of  Chinese  baby  girls  could  be  bought  for  a 
dollar  apiece,  and  educated  in  a  Christian  school.  The 
infant  class  of  the  school  gave  him  twenty  dollars 
and  asked  that  twenty  babies  be  bought  and  educated 
in  the  name  of  the  Incarnation   mission  Sunday-school. 

In  1885  there  was  a  religious  movement  very  general 
among  the  Episcopal  Churches  throughout  the  city, 
known  as  the  Advent  Mission,  which  sought  to  stir  up 
and  deepen  the  religious  life  of  the  community.  Begin- 
ning in  November,  services  were  conducted  daily  by 
visiting  missioners,  in  nearly  all  the  parishes,  from  early 
in  the  morning  until  late  at  night.  A  number  of  clergy- 
men from  the  Church  of  England,  who  were  familiar 
with  and  leaders  in  a  similar  movement  abroad,  had  been 
invited  to  this  country  and  given  charge  of  mission  ser- 
vices in  the  larger  churches.  The  missioners  at  the 
parish  church  were  the  Rev.  R.  B.  Ransford  of  St.  Jude's, 
East  Brixton,  London,  England,  and  the  Rev.  Hartley 
Carmichael  of  Hamilton,  Canada.  The  congregation  of 
Zion  Church  joined  with  that  of  the  Incarnation  in 
holding  services,  alternately  in  their  respective  churches. 

The  Rev.  Campbell  Fair  of  Baltimore,  Md.,  was 
missioner  at  the  chapel  of  the  Incarnation.  The  result 
of  these  protracted  services  was  felt  throughout  the 
parish  long  after  the  mission  closed;  and  a  marked 
religious  impression  was  made  upon  the  whole  commu- 
nity. 

In  order  to  continue  the  good  work  which  the  missioners 
had  begun  in  the  few  places  they  were  able  to  visit 
during  their  stay  in  this  country,  the  clergy  of  the  city 
formed  a  Parochial  Missions  Society,  with  the  object  of 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  149 

supplying  missioners  to  conduct  similar  services  in 
parishes  which  had  not  been  so  fortunate  as  to  take  part 
in  the  New  York  mission.  Clergymen,  many  of  them 
rectors  of  city  parishes,  who  were  deeply  interested, 
and  who  had  a  gift  for  such  work,  volunteered  to  give  up 
a  week  or  more  of  their  parish  duties  in  order  to  act  as 
missioners  in  distant  places,  under  the  auspices  of  this 
society. 

The  interest  aroused  by  the  Advent  Mission  greatly 
added  to  the  responsibility  and  labors  of  the  parochial 
clergy.  Those  who  had  been  seriously  affected  by  the 
work  of  the  missioners  required  to  be  looked  after,  and 
encouraged  to  persevere  in  their  new  life.  An  unusually 
busy  winter,  therefore,  with  the  clergy,  was  that  of  1886. 

When  summer  came  the  Rev.  Mr.  Brooks  felt  inclined 
to  put  into  execution  a  plan  he  had  long  desired  to  carry 
out,  when  opportunity  should  oflFer,  to  seek  a  year's  rest 
and  travel  in  the  Holy  Land  and  the  Orient.  When  this 
desire  was  made  known  to  the  vestry,  a  vacation  was 
readily  granted  the  rector,  and  absence  from  the  parish 
from  July,  1886,  to  September,  1887,  was  willingly 
accorded. 

The  Rev.  J.  Newton  Perkins  was  appointed  to  take 
charge  of  the  parish,  and  officiate  at  all  services  in  the 
church.  To  supply  his  place  at  the  chapel,  temporarily, 
the  Rev.  Arthur  W.  Hess  was  engaged  as  an  assistant 
minister. 

On  July  15th,  1886,  the  rector  and  Mrs.  Brooks  sailed 
from  New  York  for  a  long  vacation,  in  company  with  Mr. 
Frederick  T.  West  and  Miss  Starkweather,  parishion- 
ers, and  Bishop  Elliott. 

The  latter  part  of  the  winter  of  1886  was  spent  in 
Egypt,  and  in  the  spring,  crossing  to    Arabia  Petrea, 


150         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

the  long  desert  to  Gaza  was  traversed  on  camel  back,  and 
a  subsequent  journey  was  made  through  Palestine  on 
horseback.  In  the  spring  of  1887  the  journey  was  made 
through  Asia  Minor  and  Greece.  The  travellers  re- 
turned to  New  York  in  the  fall  of  1887,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Bishop  Elliott,  who,  on  account  of  sickness  while 
in  Rome,  had  returned  earlier. 

The  Sunday-school  festivals  at  Christmas  and  Easter 
have  been  already  alluded  to.  The  same  spirit  of  Christ- 
mas rejoicing  had  always  pervaded  the  parish,  and  under 
Dr.  Brooks  the  custom  was  enthusiastically  continued. 
Elaborate  preparations  were  made  weeks  beforehand. 
In  accordance  with  the  custom  instituted  by  Dr.  Mont- 
gomery, the  teachers  of  both  schools  assembled  at  the 
rectory  on  a  December  evening,  to  arrange  for  the  Christ- 
mas-tree; the  children  for  weeks  were  systematically 
drilled  in  carol  singing;  and  the  culmination  of  all  these 
preparations  was  found  in  the  brilliantly  lighted  and 
decorated  church  on  Christmas  Eve.  A  lofty  evergreen 
stood  on  the  chancel  platform,  brilliant  with  lighted  tap- 
ers and  glistening  with  tinsel,  its  branches  heavily  laden 
with  hundreds  of  gifts.  The  rector,  in  his  happiest  mood, 
greeted  the  young  of  his  flock  and  spoke  impressively 
upon  the  lesson  of  Christmas. 

One  such  happy  occasion  occurred  in  1886,  during  the 
regretted  absence  of  the  rector  in  Europe.  Although 
absent  in  body  his  presence  with  the  children  in  spirit 
was  happily  manifested  by  a  special  greeting  from  across 
the  sea  in  a  cablegram  dated  Rome,  December  24th. 

The  Rt.  Rev.  Arthur  Cleveland  Coxe,D.D.,  Bishop  of 
Western  New  York,  had  come  by  invitation  of  the  vestry 
to  be  the  preacher  at  the  church  on  Christmas  Day. 
He  was  also  asked  to  address  the  children  at  their  Christ- 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  151 

mas  Eve  festival.  The  service  was  read  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Perkins,  assisted  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hess. 

Bishop  Coxe,  in  his  address  to  the  children,  alluded  to 
one  of  the  carols  which  they  had  just  sung: 

Carol,  Christians  carol,  carol  joyfully, 
Carol  for  the  coming  of  Christ's  nativity ; 

and  stated  that,  so  far  as  he  knew,  this  was  the  earliest 
American  carol  that  had  been  written,  and  that  it  had 
been  composed  by  himself  whilst  a  student  in  the  General 
Theological  Seminary  in  1840. 

The  following  letter  from  the  absent  rector,  written 
from  France,  December  6th,  sending  Christmas  greetings 
to  the  Sunday-schools  was  read;  and  at  the  close  of  the 
services  gifts  were  distributed  to  the  children : 

Aries,  France,  Dec.  6,  1886. 
My  Dear  Children: 

As  yesterday  was  the  second  Sunday  in  Advent,  I 
am  reminded  that  all  the  preparations  for  Christmas 
are  progressing  very  fast  with  you  in  New  York.  I  can 
easily  picture  the  rehearsing  of  carols,  the  prepara- 
tion of  boxes  for  gifts  to  others  and  the  work  for  the 
Christmas  Eve  celebration  which  is  going  on.  And  if 
I  am  to  have  my  part  in  the  Christmas  festival,  I 
must  write  now,  nearly  three  weeks  before  Christmas. 

At  every  step,  since  I  began  to  travel,  I  have  come 
across  something  to  remind  me  of  the  Sunday-school 
at  home.  A  few  days  ago  I  heard  a  minister  catechiz- 
ing the  children  of  his  church,  and  when  he  said 
"good!"  after  a  little  girl's  particularly  correct  reci- 
tation, I  knew  how  satisfied  both  she  and  he  felt  that 
she  had  been  able  to  do  so  well.  And  I  felt  quite  at 
home  in  the  cathedral  here  yesterday,  when,  on  the 
afternoon  of  the  first  Sunday  in  the  month,  I  found 
a  children's  service  going  on,  and  listened  to  one  of 
the  same  chants  which  we  sing  at  home.     I  would 


152         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

have  liked  to  make  an  address  to  them;  only  if  I  had 
been  allowed  to  do  so,  I  am  afraid  that  to  the  little 
French  children  all  that  I  said  would  have  sounded 
as  strange  as  the  words  of  the  missionaries  from  China 
and  Japan  do  to  you.  But  I  was  glad  to  know  that 
there  was  in  their  minds  the  same  Christ  child  of 
whom  we  could  all  think  in  our  own  language  and 
way. 

And  so  it  will  be  at  Christmas.  You  and  I  will 
be  separated,  but  in  our  different  places  it  will  be  one 
Christmas  story  of  joy  and  salvation,  of  which  we 
shall  be  thinking.  Just  as,  when  you  hear  this  letter 
read,  you  will  see  through  the  shining  branches  of  your 
Christmas  tree  the  beautiful  pictures  of  the  chancel, 
telling  the  story  which  gives  the  reason  for  having  a 
tree  at  all;  so  when  I  am  in  Rome  on  Christmas 
Day,  and  you,  in  New  York,  enjoying  our  cele- 
bration very  differently,  we  can  be  glad  for  the 
one  great  story  of  Christ  who  came  to  this  world  for 
us,  and  who  belongs  to  us  in  every  part  of  the  world, 
and  who  makes  everything  bright  which  comes  from 
Him. 

The  city  of  Arles,from  which  I  write,  is  one  of  the 
oldest  Christian  cities  in  the  world,  although  perhaps 
many  of  you  never  heard  of  it  before.  It  was  one  of 
the  first  places  in  which  Christianity  was  preached, 
and  some  people  even  thought  that  Saint  Paul  came 
here,  and  point  out  the  house  where  he  stayed.  Tro- 
phimus,  whose  name  some  of  you  remember,  from 
reading  it  in  your  Bibles,  and  others  of  you,  I  hope, 
will  look  it  up  in  the  book  of  Acts  and  the  second  epis- 
tle of  Paul  to  Timothy,  was  probably  the  first  bishop 
in  this  city,  and  wherever  one  goes  here  he  finds  the 
marks  of  what  Trophimus  said  and  did,  according  to 
the  reports  which  have  been  told  here.  Some  of 
them  seem  likely  to  have  been  true,  and  others  not. 
But  it  is  interesting  to  see  the  marks  of  what  was 
done  by  Christians,  when  it  was  not  easy  or  pleasant 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  153 

to  be  a  Christian,  as  it  is  now.  Yesterday  I  saw  the 
prisons  without  any  light  in  them,  where  the  Chris- 
tians were  confined,  and  out  of  which  they  never 
came  alive,  except  to  be  torn  in  pieces  by  the  lions  in 
the  amphitheatre,  which  is  still  standing  here. 

The  Christians  had  to  contend  with  the  heathen-  . 
ism  all  about  them,  and  now  our  Christmas  cele- 
brations and  Christian  pleasure  are  all  given  us  to 
make  us  able  to  fight  with  our  sins,  which  are  more 
dangerous  than  the  lions  at  Aries,  and  which  we  too 
often  do  not  resist  as  Christians,  like  those  early 
martyrs.  Remember  how  much  Jesus  has  done  to 
make  men  bold,  and  never  be  ashamed  of  being  Chris- 
tians at  all  times. 

But  I  have  been  particularly  interested  in  the 
stories  which  I  found  in  a  city  called  Vienne,  about 
Pontius  Pilate.  He  is  said  to  have  been  banished 
there  by  the  Roman  Emperor  whom,  you  remember, 
he  was  so  afraid  of  offending,  that  he  condemned 
Christ  to  death,  while  he  declared  that  he  was  inno- 
cent. He  is  said  to  have  committed  suicide  by  throw- 
ing himself  from  a  tower  there.  All  this  will  interest 
you,  I  know,  for  we  studied  together  about  the  trial 
of  Jesus  in  the  months  of  October  and  November. 
All  the  power  of  the  world  was  against  Jesus  from  the 
time  of  His  birth  until  His  death.  And  yet  we  are 
celebrating  His  birth  now,  as  the  greatest  event  which 
ever  took  place.  It  is  very  easy  to  make  Pilate's 
mistake;  and  as  I  saw  in  all  the  cities  which  I  passed 
through  last  week,  what  splendid  buildings  the 
Romans  erected,  and  how  magnificent  they  are,, 
even  now  that  they  are  in  ruins,  I  could  not 
be  surprised  at  poor  Pilate's  thought  that  it  was 
better  to  condemn  Christ  than  to  offend  Caesar.  But 
we  have  the  warning  of  Pilate's  life,  and  as  we  hear  at 
Christmas  only  of  a  babe  lying  in  a  manger,  we  ought 
to  know  that  that  babe  is  our  Lord  and  our  God,  and 
serve  Him  with  all  our  hearts.     We  can  never  forget 


154         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Him  and  can  let  everything  else  go,  if  He  is  our  friend, 
and  is  always  by  our  side.  The  early  Christians  and 
we  must  conquer  in  His  name  and  strength  alone. 

God  bless  you,  dear  children.  May  it  be  a  merry 
and  bright  Christmas.  May  you  have  many  happy 
New  Years  because  you  are  the  servants  of  Christ. 

And  remembering  me  in  all  your  joys  at  this  happy 
season. 

Affectionately  your  friend, 

ARTHUR  BROOKS. 

Another  happy  festival  took  place  on  Easter  Day, 
April  21st,  1887,  when  the  children's  festival  was  held  in 
the  church,  as  usual,  conducted  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Perkins 
and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hess.  A  letter  was  read  addressed  to 
the  children  by  Dr.  Brooks,  written  from  Cairo,  Eygpt, 
March  23d.  During  the  exercises  a  cablegram  was 
received  from  the  rector,  reading"  Jerusalem,  Easter  Day, 
Christ  is  risen.  Alleluia."  A  response  was  immediately 
cabled  to  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Brooks  on  behalf  of  the  Sunday- 
school  in  festival  assembled:  "Beloved  rector,  happy 
children,  congratulations."  The  Rev.  Professor  Clark 
of  Toronto,  who  had  preached  in  the  church  at  the 
morning  service,  made  an  address  to  the  children. 

Each  year  Whitsunday  was  made  for  the  children  at 
the  chapel  an  occasion  of  special  rejoicing,  by  an  afternoon 
flower  festival.  The  yearly  rewards  of  the  Sunday-school 
were  given,  and  members  of  the  Church  Society  received 
their  well-earned  gifts.  To  those  who  had  been  regular 
in  attendance  at  the  morning  service  in  the  church  for 
one  year,  a  silver  cross  was  given.  Those  who  for  two 
years  had  not  failed  in  attendance  received  a  gold 
ring,  in  token  that  the  recipient  was  pledged  thereafter 
to  be  a  regular  attendant  at  the  church ;  and  at  the  end  of 
three  years,  to  such  as  had  done  some  specific  Church 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  155 

work  a  gold  cross  was  given.  At  the  conclusion  of  this 
festal  service  the  flowers  were  taken  by  the  children  to 
several  city  hospitals,  and  distributed  by  their  own  hands 
to  the  patients. 

Mr.  Robert  Graham,  secretary  of  the  Church  Tem- 
perance Society,  was  a  frequent  visitor  at  the  chapel  and 
his  appeals  on  the  subject  of  temperance  were  always 
greatly  appreciated.  Under  his  direction  a  company  of 
Knights  of  Temperance  was  formed  from  the  boys  of  the 
Sunday-school. 

Among  the  changes  which  took  place  from  year  to  year 
in  the  mission,  we  record  the  efficient  services  of  Dr. 
Hyde,  Miss  Anna  L.  Horn,  Mr.  F.  R.  Lefferts  and  Mr.  W. 
R.Sheffield  as  teachers  of  Bible  classes:  also  the  assist- 
ance of  Miss  Johanna  Thomass  and  Miss  Daisy  Acker 
during  many  years  of  faithful  care  and  instruction  of 
the  large  infant  class. 

The  Girls'  Friendly  Society  at  the  chapel  was  organized 
in  1886  with  twenty  girls  and  four  associate  members, 
under  charge  of  Miss  Louise  Easton  and  Miss  J.  du 
B.  Roberts.  A  beautiful  banner  of  green  silk  embroid- 
ered in  gold  bullion,  was  the  gift  and  handiwork  of  Miss 
Easton.  Classes  in  cooking,  dressmaking  and  calisthe- 
nics were  formed  and  Miss  Agnes  D.  Abbatt  gave 
instruction  in  drawing.  The  Misses  Pordir  added 
greatly  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  girls  by  frequent  social 
entertainments  of  music  and  dancing.  After  a  con- 
tinuance of  five  years  the  society  was  dissolved. 

The  scheme  of  providing  a  "fresh  air  fund,"  by 
means  of  which  children  whose  parents  were  unable  to 
bear  the  expense  were  freely  given  a  week's  recreation  in 
the  country,  originated  with  the  Rev.  Dr.  Muhlenberg. 
In  1877  he  received  into  the  "  Cove  House,"  on  the  St. 


156         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Johnjand  reservation,  near  Northport,  L . I.,  from  week  to 
week,  a  number  of  children  from  the  tenement  house 
population  of  the  city.  This  he  called  his  "fresh  air 
work."  The  name  so  apposite  became  popular  and  was 
later  adopted  by  the  New  York  Tribune  for  a  charitable 
work  similar  in  character,  conducted  under  its  auspices. 

Stimulated  by  the  success  of  this  movement,  the  larger 
churches  of  the  city  began  a  like  work  in  connection  with 
their  mission  chapels,  among  the  earliest  of  these  being 
the  Holy  Communion,  Grace,  and  Calvary. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Perkins,  pastor  of  the  chapel,  had  under- 
taken in  a  small  way  his  fresh-air  work,  in  1883,  by  send- 
ing children,  under  the  auspices  of  the  "Tribune  Fresh 
Air  Fund"  to  country  farm-houses  in  places  far  remote 
from  New  York,  for  one  week's  stay,  paying  for  them  by 
contributions  made  to  the  chapel  fund.  The  experiment 
having  proved  satisfactory,  the  congregation  of  the  parish 
church  was  convinced  of  the  wisdom  of  providing  a  home 
for  its  mission  children  under  its  own  management,  and 
each  summer  they  readily  contributed  sufficient  money 
to  rent  a  furnished  house  at  Lake  Mohegan,  Yorktown, 
Westchester  County,  N.  Y.  The  house  was  placed  under 
the  care  of  a  matron,  who  was  required  to  give  constant 
supervision  and  motherly  care  to  the  children  sent  there 
by  the  pastor  of  the  chapel.  The  first  party  to  arrive  at 
the  home  on  June  19th,  1886,  consisted  of  twenty-five 
young  boys  and  girls.  This  was  the  beginning  of  one  of 
the  most  popular  and  beneficial  charities  of  the  parish, 
which  has  largely  developed  and  has  become  a  prominent 
feature  of  its  mission  work. 

During  its  first  year  230  children  were  given  the  enjoy- 
ment and  benefit  of  country  life,  which  was  a  novelty 
few,  if  any  of  them  had  ever  experienced. 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  157 

Seven  successive  summers  at  this  rented  house  proved 
so  satisfactory,  and  the  friends  who  had  supported  the 
enterprise  were  so  well  assured  that  the  work  would  be 
of  lasting  benefit,  morally  and  physically,  to  the  young 
guests,  that  when  the  proposition  was  made  to  own  a  house 
for  future  occupancy,  little  diflficulty  was  experienced  in 
raising  the  money  to  purchase  it. 

Accordingly  a  house  in  this  same  locality,  substantially 
built  and  well  adapted  to  the  purpose  with  about  five 
acres  of  ground,  was  purchased  from  Mr.  Richard  W. 
Horn,  and  this  property  became  the  permanent  summer 
home  of  the  parish  of  the  Incarnation.  The  committee 
of  the  mission  board,  through  whom  the  purchase  was 
made  and  who  had  general  supervision  of  the  fresh-air 
work,  consisted  of  Dr.  Hyde,  Howard  Clarkson,  John 
A.  McKim,  Herbert  E.  Griggs,  James  McLean  and  Clin- 
ton Ogilvie. 

The  first  matron  of  the  summer  home  was  Mrs.  Mary 
Magrath,  who  was  succeeded  by  Miss  Maria  Brainerd, 
Mrs.  Skinner,  Miss  Isabelle  Edwards  and  Mrs.  Weir. 
Volunteer  service  was  rendered  for  several  summers  by 
teachers  in  the  chapel  school;  especially  by  Miss  Johanna 
Thomass,  Miss  Lizzie  Irwin,  Miss  Daisy  Acker  and  the 
Misses  Hulse,  who  were  unceasing  in  caring  for  and  amus- 
ing the  children. 

The  following  resolution  by  the  vestry,  March  30th, 
1894,  authorized  the  purchase  of  the  summer  home  prop- 
erty: 

Resolved:  That  the  rector  and  clerk  be  author- 
ized to  take  the  deed  of  a  piece  of  property  in  York- 
town,  Westchester  County,  N.Y,,  about  five  acres  in 
extent,  with  a  house  and  barn  thereon,  to  be  used  for 
the  purposes  of  a  summer  home  for  the  poor  of  the 
parish,  for  the  sum  of  $7,000. 


158         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

I 

The  transfer  of  this  property  was  made  on  April  20th, 
1894.  The  expenses  necessary  for  alterations  and  im- 
provements, and  for  the  construction  of  water  and  drainage 
systems,  brought  the  total  amount  of  cost  to  $8,540.37. 

The  purchase  of  the  house  awakened  interest  in  the 
parish  and  liberal  gifts  were  made  for  its  furnishing. 
Mrs.  P.  M.  Bryson  completely  furnished  and  endowed  a 
room  in  memory  of  Caroline  Carey,  a  little  girl  who  had 
recently  died.  Another  room  was  furnished  by  Mr.  F.  R. 
Leflerts  and  known  as  the  "Charlie  Lefferts  Memorial 
Room."  The  King's  Daughters  furnished  a  room  to  be 
occupied  by  girls  of  their  several  "circles." 

Through  the  liberality  of  Dr.  F.  E.  Hyde  the  Summer 
Home  was  further  benefited  in  1894  by  the  construction 
of  a  spacious  swimming  pool,  and  the  installation  of  ex- 
pensive machinery  by  means  of  which  water  from  Lake 
Mohegan,  half  a  mile  distant,  is  pumped  daily  into  the 
pool.  Bathing  for  young  and  old  thereby  became  a  pleas- 
ure greatly  enjoyed,  as  well  as  a  desirable  sanitary  feature 
of  the  place. 

The  Endowment  Fund  which  in  this,  the  sixtieth  year 
of  the  existence  of  the  parish,  exceeds  in  amount  $315,000, 
was  begun  in  1888,  by  Mr.  Brooks,  who  addressed  a  per- 
sonal letter  to  his  parishioners  on  the  subject.  The  fol- 
lowing extracts  are  from  this  letter : 

Several  older  parishes  in  the  city  have  in  the  past 
felt  the  great  advantage  of  the  provision  of  an  En- 
dowment Fund.  It  came  to  them  from  times  when 
other  forms  of  charitable  activity  were  comparatively 
few  in  the  country  and  in  the  city,  and  when  Church 
organizations  received  the  benefit  very  largely  of  tes- 
tamentary provisions  of  Christian  people.  The  great 
good  which  has  been  accomplished  by  these  endow- 
ments must  be  evident  to  all  careful  observers.    With- 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  159 

out  them  the  power  of  the  Church  would  have  been 
entirely  inadequate  to  keep  pace  with  the  increasing 
demands  of  the  population.  Even  with  such  assist- 
ance it  has  been  impossible  to  provide  suitably  for 
many  parts  of  the  city,  and  the  question  becomes  a 
very  serious  one  as  to  the  prospect  of  churches,  which 
in  the  future  without  self-supporting  congregations 
are  entirely  unendowed.  Under  such  a  condition, 
which  always  develops  itself  gradually,  valuable  and 
important  church  works,  which  it  has  taken  much 
time  and  energy  to  organize,  must  disappear,  and  the 
opportunity  to  reach  growing  communities  of  small 
means  be  entirely  abandoned.  The  keen  compe- 
tition and  the  small  margin  of  profit,  which  are  now 
features  of  ordinary  commercial  transactions,  seem 
to  promise  the  great  increase  of  a  class  which  will  need 
some  assistance  in  the  maintenance  of  Church  privi- 
leges. And  it  would  therefore  appear  probable  that 
the  future  of  the  country  will  stand  even  more  in  need 
of  Church  endowments  than  the  past  has  done.  If 
this  is  so,  no  more  reasonable  use  of  large  means  for 
the  glory  of  God  could  be  sought  than  this  one,  which 
will  directly  tend  to  make  us  a  God-fearing  people. 

The  large  sum  necessary  for  an  endowment  invites 
universal  co-operation  through  gifts,  both  large  and 
small,  and  liberal  donations  are  especially  needed  as 
an  encouragement  for  the  inception  of  such  a  move- 
ment. There  are  those  who,  not  having  considered 
this  necessity  previously,  may  be  willing  to  be  leaders 
in  such  an  important  work  by  liberal  gifts,  when  it  is 
once  placed  before  them.  But  I  desire  at  this  time  es- 
pecially to  call  the  attention  of  those  making  their 
own  wills,  or  occupying  the  position  of  advisers  to 
others  in  such  a  duty,  to  the  great  desirability  of  re- 
membering liberally  this  plan  of  an  endowment  fund 
for  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation.  A  church  by  its 
continued  life,  its  power  of  adaptation  to  circum- 
stances, and  above  all  by  reason  of  its  Divine  purpose 


160         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

and  assistance  in  its  work  for  Christ  in  the  world,  has 
advantages  above  all  other  organizations  for  chari- 
table and  missionary  work.  Without  life  in  and 
through  our  churches,  such  other  organizations  be- 
come useless  and  even  possibly  injurious,  since  the 
spiritual  life  of  the  community  is  the  first  condition  of 
their  value  and  effectiveness.  And  therefore  to  each 
person  his  own  church,  where  he  has  gained  spiritual 
blessing  and  profit,  should  be  his  first  object  of  char- 
ity, both  immediate  and  testamentary. 

It  is  evident  that  a  movement  toward  an  endow- 
ment must  be  made  while  a  church  is  still  vigorous 
and  provided  with  willing  and  able  friends.  To  wait 
until  it  begins  to  show  signs  of  weakness  is  to  in- 
crease immeasurably  the  diflBculty  of  the  work,  even 
if  it  is  not  rendered  impossible.  By  early  movement 
time  is  given  for  the  incorporation  in  wills  of  be- 
quests, which,  at  a  time  considerably  later,  will  very 
probably  aid  the  church  in  an  hour  of  need,  or  help 
it  to  new  work,  which  increasing  emergencies  re- 
quire. The  sum  aimed  at  should  not  be  less  than 
three  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  early  gifts  will 
have  time  to  accumulate,  and  thus  to  assist  the 
more  effectually  toward  the  desired  end. 

The  condition  of  the  Endowment  Fund  is  fully  given  in 
the  Appendix. 

The  Ladies'  Missionary  League  of  the  Church  of  the 
Incarnation  was  organized  by  Dr.  Brooks,  February  7th, 
1888,  with  a  two-fold  object:  first  to  awaken  throughout 
the  parish  a  more  permanent  and  general  interest  in  the 
work  of  missions,  foreign  and  domestic,  and  second  to 
show  our  missionaries  in  the  field  that  they  have  those 
at  home  who  work,  pray  and  sympathize  with  them. 
Speakers  from  the  foreign  field  and  bishops  from  our 
own  country  were  frequently  present  at  these  meetings 
to  give  account  of  their  fields  of  labor. 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  161 

The  Church  Periodical  Club,  a  general  Church  or- 
ganization, was  organized  in  1888  by  Mrs.  Mortimer 
Fargo  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  and  supplying  maga- 
zines and  wholesome  literature  to  far-off  clergy  and  laity, 
who  are  unable  financially  to  procure  the  same.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  thousands  of  magazines  and  books  which  were 
received  at  the  home  oflBce,  to  be  sent  into  the  domestic 
and  foreign  mission  fields,  many  churches  established 
their  own  "periodicals  clubs"  embodying  the  principles  of 
the  original  society. 

The  "Periodical  Club  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation'* 
was  organized  during  Dr.  Brooks'  rectorship.  Interest 
therein  increased  so  that  there  were  many  families  in  the 
parish  who  mailed  magazines  and  papers  direct  to  mis- 
sionaries and  others,  whose  names  were  furnished  them 
by  the  general  society.  Mrs.  Loyal  Farragut  was  its 
first  secretary;  followed  by  Mrs.  J.  T.  Ijams  and  Mrs. 
Clinton  Ogilvie. 

We  have  seen  that  prior  to  the  destructive  fire  the 
quartette  choir  had  occupied  a  small  gallery  at  the  north 
of  the  chancel,  facing  the  congregation.  One  of  the 
conditions  in  the  contract  for  restoring  the  church,  was 
that  the  western  gallery  should  be  prepared  to  receive  a 
large  Roosevelt  organ  and  sufficient  space  be  provided 
therein  for  increased  membership  of  the  choir.  This 
change  having  been  made,  the  music  was  effectively  ren- 
dered by  a  double  quartette  and  chorus,  and  the  best 
musical  talent  obtainable  was  secured.  Miss  Augusta 
Lowell,  the  organist,  rendered  most  acceptable  service, 
and  after  her  marriage  to  Mr.  Garthwaite  continued  in 
her  position  for  a  year.  Miss  Charlotte  Welles  was 
appointed  organist  in  1890.  Miss  Wells  married  Mr. 
Saenger,  and  continued  to  occupy  her  position  at  the 


162         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

organ  until  the  spring  of  1896,  at  which  time  important 
changes  were  determined  upon  by  the  vestry.  The  choir 
was  retired  and  both  organist  and  choir-master  withdrew 
to  give  place  to  the  new  regime.  Mr.  Woodruff's  long 
and  acceptable  service  in  directing  the  choir,  and  training 
the  children  of  the  parish  for  festival  occasions,  deserves 
special  mention. 

Mrs.  Kellner,  who  is  the  most  competent  person  to 
describe  the  condition  of  the  choir  under  Dr.  Brooks,  says : 

*'  In  the  matter  of  church  music  Mr.  Brooks'  preference 
was  for  the  mixed  choir  of  adult  voices,  as,  by  their  richer 
quality,  expressing  deeper  religiousness.  This  form  of 
choral  singing,  however,  was  beginning  to  be  subject  to 
two  drawbacks :  the  difficulty,  except  at  very  great  cost, 
of  getting  sufficient  volume,  and  the  fact  that  nearly  all 
the  modern  church  music  was  being  composed  in  England, 
where  only  boy  choirs  were  employed.  For  reasons  of 
economy,  therefore.  Dr.  Brooks  was  debating  the  easier 
solution  of  installing  a  boy  choir,  when  in  1888  a  friend 
and  parishioner  who  shared  all  Dr.  Brooks'  views  regard- 
ing the  matter  accepted  the  charge  of  it.  It  was  through 
Mr.  Alfred  Corning  Clark's  generous  provision  for  and 
direction  of  the  church's  music,  that  the  adoption  of  the 
boy  choir  was  again  deferred;  but  that  this  was  only  a 
postponement  Mr.  Brooks  and  probably  Mr.  Clark  rec- 
ognized. The  former,  indeed,  with  gratification  in  each 
gain  in  the  beauty  of  the  music,  would  smile  and  say, 
*A11  this  depends  on  Mr.  Clark; — when  he  and  I  are 
gone  the  day  for  the  boy  choir  will  arrive.'  This,  he 
said,  without  deprecation.  Mr.  Clark's  solution  of  the 
problem,  during  the  seven  years  of  his  direction,  was  by 
the  maintenance  of  a  double  quartette,  backed  by  a  chor- 
us of  picked  voices.     He  not  only,  for  the  most  part  (in 


ALFRED  CORNING  CLARK 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  163 

what  measure  was  known  only  to  himself),  provided  for 
this  very  large  undertaking,  but  he  also  painstakingly 
supervised  every  detail  of  it. 

"By  what  seems  almost  a  fortuitous  advantage  Mr. 
Frederic  Archer  (in  London  admittedly  an  expert  in 
organ  construction),  while  living  for  an  interval  in  New 
York,  had  accepted  the  position  of  organist  of  the  Incar- 
nation, and  his  scheme  for  the  new  organ  resulted  in  an 
instrument  of  remarkable  calibre  and  unique  character- 
istics." 

The  matter  of  introducing  a  boy  choir  as  a  substitute 
for  one  of  mixed  voices  was  not  now  for  the  first  time 
considered.  In  1859  Mr.  Charles  Jerome  Hopkins,  son 
of  the  Bishop  of  Vermont,  was  organist  in  the  former 
church,  and  introduced  a  choir  of  boys,  which  for  awhile 
gave  satisfaction.  They  were  not  vested,  and  did  not 
sit  in  the  chancel. 

In  this  connection  the  music  of  the  Sunday-schools 
deserves  special  mention. 

In  the  parish  Sunday-school  Miss  C.  T.  Lawrence  was 
greatly  interested,  and  devoted  much  time  to  having  the 
children  thoroughly  drilled  in  the  rendering  of  simple 
hymns  and  carols.  Assisted  by  Miss  Willis,  the  festival 
music  was  selected  and  rehearsed;  and  when  the  two 
schools  came  together  for  Christmas  and  Easter  services, 
under  lead  of  Mr.  F.  G.  Bourne,  and  later  of  Mr.  A.  D. 
Woodruff,  the  result  of  patient  and  systematic  drilling 
of  the  children  was  pleasingly  evident. 

In  1888,  the  thirtieth  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the 
mission  was  observed  by  special  services  and  a  reunion  of 
former  pastors  and  parishioners.  The  bishop  of  the 
diocese  confirmed  a  class  of  forty  candidates  presented 
by  Mr.  Perkins,  and  made  the  concluding  address  of  the 


164         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

evening,  after  three  clergymen  who  had  been  former 
missionaries  at  the  chapel  had  spoken,  namely:  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Willing,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Briggs  and  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Widdemer.  Each  gave  an  interesting  account  of  his 
work  and  of  the  people  to  whom  he  had  ministered. 
Many  of  the  former  members  of  the  chapel  who  had  left 
the  neighborhood,  returned  to  take  part  in  this  anniver- 
sary. 

The  rector,  Dr.  Brooks,  was  unavoidably  absent,  being 
at  that  time  in  South  Dakota  conducting  a  mission.  A 
congratulatory  letter  was  read  from  him  written  from 
Huron,  South  Dakota,  May  12th,  1888.  Having  ex- 
pressed therein  regret  at  his  inability  to  be  present,  he 
alluded  briefly  to  the  work  which  the  mission  had  done 
since  it  was  founded,  and  said:  "I  trust  that  one  result  of 
your  anniversary  services  will  be  the  deeper  appreciation 
of  those  spiritual  privileges  which,  under  God's  providence 
we  all  enjoy  together  in  one  parish.  With  such  a  spirit  of 
thankfulness  we  shall  all  strive  for  deeper  consecration 
in  the  future,  to  the  cause  of  Christ  and  of  His  Church." 

Jn  anticipation  of  this  anniversary  the  congregation 
lor  some  time  previous  had  been  making  preparation, 
by  small  individual  subscriptions,  for  placing  a  new 
chancel  window.  This  window  was  of  triple  light,  having 
in  the  central  sash  the  figure  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  and  in 
the  side  lights  appropriate  ecclesiastical  emblems.  The 
marble  tablet  upon  the  wall  of  the  chapel  stated  that  this 
window  had  been  erected  to  "the  memory  of  former  pas- 
tors and  members  of  this  chapel"  who  had  died  since  its 
establishment  as  a  mission  in  1 858 .  The  pastors  thus  com- 
memorated were  the  Revs.  Mr.  Chipman,  Mr.  Hunting- 
ton and  Mr.  Elliott.  A  small  window  was  placed  in  the 
east  wall  of  the  chapel,  as  a  special  memorial  to  the 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  165 

Rev.  Dr.  Montgomery,  rector  of  the  parish  and  founder 
of  the  chapel.  A  font  of  white  marble  also  had  recently 
been  given  to  the  chapel  by  Miss  Pulling,  in  memory  of 
her  father,  Abram  C.  Pulling,  whose  interest  in  the 
mission  had  been  long  manifested  by  personal  service, 
and  by  liberal  contributions. 

Mr.  Andrew  C.  Zabriskie  presented  the  chapel  with 
three  windows  of  stained  glass,  formerly  in  the  chapel  of 
his  Christian  Institute. 

Through  the  sisterhood  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  in 
January,  1889,  Mrs.  Louisa  H.  Gates  was  secured  as  a 
parish  visitor  for  the  purpose  of  systematically  visiting 
the  families  whose  children  attended  the  chapel,  and  to 
serve  any  members  of  the  parish  church  who  desired  to 
have  special  cases  of  sickness  or  necessity  looked  into. 
The  Mothers'  Meeting,  which  was  inaugurated  by  her, 
was  the  means  of  bringing  together  in  the  parish  house 
one  evening  in  each  week,  the  women  of  the  chapel  for 
social  intercourse,  reading  and  sewing.  These  meetings 
were  well  attended  and  very  popular,  and  the  work  so 
auspiciously  begun  has  expanded,  and  continues  its 
usefulness  under  Miss  Esther  C.  Fitzmaurice,  the  present 
visitor,  who  has  been  connected  with  the  chapel  since 
1895.  A  branch  of  the  Penny  Provident  Fund  was  in- 
augurated by  Mrs.  Gates  whereby  children  were  en- 
couraged to  save  and  deposit  their  pennies  each  week,  as 
in  a  bank,  receiving  therefore  a  redeemable  receipt. 

Mrs.  Gates  was  ordered  deaconess  by  Bishop  Potter 
in  the  Cathedral  of  St.  John  the  Divine,  April  25th,  1900. 
Her  death  occurred  in  April,  1904. 

An  important  work  had  been  inaugurated  in  1882 
by  Mrs.  Joseph  T.  Low  and  other  ladies,  by  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  day  nursery  in  connection  with  the  mission 


166         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

chapel.  These  nurseries  are  so  numerous  at  the  present 
day  that  it  is  with  satisfaction  we  can  record  the  fact 
that,  with  the  exception  of  Grace  Church,  which  opened 
its  nursery  in  1878,  the  Bethlehem  Day  Nursery  is  the 
first  on  record  to  be  established  by  any  church  in  this 
city.  The  institution  was  duly  incorporated  in  1885. 
The  name  was  suggested  by  Mr.  Brooks.  The  two  upper 
floors  of  the  parish  house  were  used  for  this  work  until 
1889,  when  a  brick  dwelling  house.  No.  249  East  Thirtieth 
Street  (immediately  in  the  rear  of  the  parish  house,  so 
that  the  two  yards  were  connected)  was  purchased  by 
private  subscription,  and  has  proven  a  most  satisfactory 
home  for  the  daily  care  of  little  children  of  working 
women. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Brooks,  after  his  return  from  Europe, 
was  one  of  those  city  rectors,  already  alluded  to,  who  had 
been  so  deeply  impressed  by  the  spiritual  results  of  the 
Advent  Mission  in  New  York  that,  upon  the  solicitation 
of  its  Bishop  he  volunteered  to  undertake  a  mission  in 
South  Dakota.  In  May,  1888,  in  company  with  the  Rev. 
Harvey  Carmichael,  he  spent  three  weeks  in  the  far  west, 
holding  mission  services  at  Huron,  Sioux  Falls,  Aberdeen, 
Watertown,  Elk  Point  and  Yankton. 

In  Advent,  1889,  Mr.  Brooks  conducted  a  mission  for 
the  students  in  Trinity  College,  Hartford,  Connecticut. 

In  1891  Mr.  Brooks  was  requested  by  his  clerical  breth- 
ren of  the  Parochial  Missions  Society  to  conduct  a  "quiet 
day"  in  Trinity  Church,  New  Rochelle.  Those  who  were 
so  fortunate  as  to  be  present  on  that  occasion  will  ever 
remember  the  earnestness  and  deep  spirituality  of  his 
addresses. 

By  request  of  the  Parochial  Missions  Society  Mr. 
Brooks  conducted  a  "quiet  day"  for  the  clergy,  in  prep- 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  167 

aration  for  the  duties  of  Lent,  in  Trinity  Church,  New 
Rochelle,  February  3d,  1891. 

His  acceptance  of  the  invitation  was  as  follows: 

My  Dear  Mr.  Canedy: 

I  am  informed  by  you  that  it  is  the  request  of  the 
Committee  of  the  Parochial  Missions  Society  that  I 
should  conduct  the  "quiet  day"  at  Trinity  Church, 
New  Rochelle,  on  February  3d. 

I  shrink  greatly  from  accepting  a  duty  which  seems 
in  any  degree  to  make  me  a  teacher  and  a  guide  to 
my  brethren  in  the  ministry.  I  could  wish  most 
heartily  that  your  choice  had  fallen  elsewhere.  That 
those  with  whom  I  have  been  closely  associated  are 
able  to  think  that  I  can  be  at  all  helpful  to  them  in 
such  a  position  is  my  encouragement  to  accept  your 
invitation,  in  humble  reliance  upon  the  strength  of  the 
Divine  Spirit,  whose  presence  and  help  in  our  sacred 
labors  we  meet  to  invoke. 

The  need  of  some  season  of  retirement  we  all  of  us 
feel  and  speak  of  constantly;  the  blessing  of  such  a 
season  some  of  us  remember,  with  thankfulness  to  our 
Father.  Let  me  through  you  ask  the  prayers  of  all 
our  brethren,  who  are  interested  in  this  "quiet  day" 
that  its  result  may  be  strength  and  power  in  the  work 
of  the  Gospel  intrusted  to  us  by  our  Master. 

Yours  faithfully  and  fraternally, 

ARTHUR  BROOKS. 

The  University  of  New  York  in  1891  and  Princeton 
University  in  1892  each  conferred  the  honorary  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Divinity  upon  Mr.  Brooks. 

The  church  continued  to  be  the  recipient  of  memorial 
gifts  to  beautify  the  chancel. 

In  1891  the  massive  Communion  rail  and  the  marble 
step  to  the  sanctuary  upon  which  it  rests  bears  this  in- 
scription: "This  chancel  rail  and  step  erected  in  1891 


168         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

to  the  Glory  of  God  and  in  loving  memory  of  Isaac 
Horton  Smith  and  Phoebe  Smith,  by  their  daughter, 
Phoebe  Adele  Ijams. 

One  of  the  most  artistic  furnishings  in  the  church  is 
the  Communion  Table,  a  memorial  gift  of  the  children 
of  Dr.  Hyde.  The  rector  thus  alludes  to  it  in  the  Parish 
Leaflet : 

The  chancel  of  the  church  has  been  greatly  en- 
riched by  a  new  Communion  Table  placed  there  in 
memory  of  Ida  Josephine  Hyde,  wife  of  Dr.  Frederick 
E.  Hyde,  by  their  children,  Elizabeth  A.  Hyde;  B. 
Talbot  B.  Hyde;  Frederick  E.  Hyde,  Jr.;  Ida  Joseph- 
ine Hyde;  Mabel  Lillia  Hyde. 

The  Table  was  executed  by  S.  Klaber  &  Company 
from  designs  drawn  by  Heins  and  LaFarge,  the  archi- 
tects who  have  had  charge  of  the  decoration  of  the 
church  for  several  years  past.     The  Table  stands  upon 
a  platform  of  Alpsgreen  marble  from  a  quarry  in  the 
Appenines  in  Italy.       The  corner  pilasters  are  of  Nu- 
midian  Jasper  marble  from  Africa,  and  their  bases  are 
of  black  Belgian  marble.  The  small  columns  are  from 
a  quarry  in  Georgia  with  capitals  of  Vermont  marble. 
The  arches  are  of  yellow  Sienna  and  the  freize  and 
panels  are  from  the  "Eschaillon"  convent  quarry  in 
France.     The  slab  constituting  the  top  of  the  Table 
is  of  red  Verona  from  a  Tyrolean  quarry.     By  its 
solidity  and  brilliancy  the  Table  becomes,  as  it  should 
be,  the  central  point  of  the  chancel,  and  draws  together 
the  other  points  of  beauty  which  are  around  it,  in 
effective  unity. 
Dr.  Hyde  for  many  years  was  connected  with  the 
church  as  vestryman  and  clerk  of  the  vestry,  and  to  him 
the  parish  is  greatly  indebted  for  his  personal  service  and 
many  generous  gifts,  especially  in  connection  with  the 
Summer  Home  at  Mohegan. 

At  a  special  meeting  of  the  vestry,  November  29th, 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  169 

1891,  the  canonical  testimonial  was  signed  in  behalf  of  the 
Rev.  Charles  DeWitt  Bridgman,  for  his  ordination  as 
deacon  in  the  Episcopal  Church. 

On  Sunday,  December  13th,  1891,  the  bishop  of  the 
diocese  held  an  ordination  service  in  the  Church  of  the 
Incarnation  and  admitted  to  the  diaconate  Charles  De- 
Witt  Bridgman,  D.D.,  formerly  pastor  of  the  Madison 
Avenue  Baptist  Church,  New  York,  Walter  H.  Gardiner, 
and  Clarence  R.  Conger.  At  this  service  he  also  advanc- 
ed to  the  order  of  the  priesthood  the  Revs.  Horatio 
Oliver  Ladd,  Samuel  Henry  Bishop  and  Jules  Ernest 
David. 

In  1892  the  vestry  learned  of  the  interest  of  the  congre- 
gation in  a  movement  to  complete  the  church  spire,  at 
an  estimated  cost  of  $12,000,  in  accordance  with  the 
original  design,  and  they  expressed  their  approval  of  the 
undertaking  by  appointing  Messrs.  James  McLean, 
F.  E.  Hyde  and  J.  T.  Ijams  a  committee  to  superintend 
the  prosecution  of  the  work  and  to  make  all  necessary  con- 
tracts therefor;  Messrs.  Heins  and  LaFarge  to  be  the 
supervising  architects. 

In  the  year  following  the  rector  was  able  to  announce 
that  the  work  had  been  completed,  and  said: 

The  church  now  speaks  to  all  of  completion,  of 
fixedness  of  purpose,  and  of  thoroughness  of  action, 
rather  than  of  uncertainty  as  to  its  future  dealing  and 
objects.  It  declares  to  all  who  see  it  that  its  determi- 
nation is  to  continue  through  many  generations,  to  tell 
of  the  wonderful  works  of  the  Lord,  and  to  uphold  the 
Cross  of  Christ  in  the  field  which  its  Master  has  al- 
lotted to  it. 

We  have  noted  the  effort  made  in  1867  by  the  congre- 
gation of  the  mission  to  become  an  autonomous  body,, 


170         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

under  the  name  of  the  Church  of  the  Reconciliation,  and 
their  subsequent  voluntary  return  to  the  care  of  the 
parent  church. 

This  desire  for  autonomy  again  manifested  itself  in 
1891  by  a  petition  from  the  congregation  to  the  mission 
board  to  be  allowed  to  resume  their  former  position  of 
semi-independence.  This  action  of  the  chapel  people 
was  not  inspired  by  any  feelings  of  dissatisfaction,  but 
solely  from  a  desire  to  try  if  such  a  movement  might  not 
be  influential  in  bringing  in  a  class  of  people  who  regarded 
the  word  "mission"  as  a  handicap  to  the  advancement  of 
the  work.  The  rector  and  managers  of  the  board  gave 
consent  to  the  trial  under  certain  conditions.  The  con- 
gregation was  required  to  contribute  $1,000  a  year,  and  to 
make  four  collections  annually,  for  missionary  objects. 
The  mission  board  reserved  the  right  to  select  and  to  pay 
the  salary  of  the  pastor.  The  running  expenses  of  the 
chapel  were  to  be  paid  by  its  congregation,  up  to  the 
amount  of  $1,000;  and  any  necessary  expenses  beyond 
that  would  be  met  by  the  treasurer  of  the  board.  Under 
these  favorable  arrangements  the  experiment  was  made; 
but  in  the  end  it  was  found  that  the  congregation  was  not 
sufficiently  strong  to  raise  the  annual  amount  required, 
and  gradually  the  support  of  the  work  reverted,  as  before, 
to  the  mission  board,  to  be  maintained  by  contributions 
from  members  of  the  Incarnation  Church. 

Students  from  the  General  Theological  Seminary  were 
helpful  assistants  to  the  pastor  of  the  chapel,  as  teachers 
in  the  Sunday-school  and  members  of  the  choir  and  lay 
readers.  In  this  connection  we  note  the  names  of  clergy- 
men who  are  well  known  as  actively  engaged  in  the 
ministry  of  the  Church.     Among  these  are  the  Revs.  A. 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  171 

W.  Hess,  Charles  H.  Boynton,  St.  Clair  Hester,  Charles 
K.  Penney,  Hugh  McGuire,  H.  W.  Mizner. 

The  diocese  of  New  York  honored  the  parish  of  the 
Incarnation  by  electing  Mr.  Francis  Lynde  Stetson  to 
represent  it  in  the  General  Convention.  Mr.  Stetson 
took  his  seat  in  the  House  of  Deputies  as  alternate 
in  Chicago  in  1886,  and  as  deputy  in  Baltimore  1892. 
He  has  continued  a  deputy  to  the  present  time  (1912). 

Mr.  Carlisle  Norwood,  who  for  fifteen  years  had  served 
as  vestryman,  and  for  a  long  portion  of  that  period  had 
been  a  delegate  to  the  diocesan  convention,  died 
January  16th,  1892.  Appropriate  resolutions  were 
spread  upon  the  minutes  of  the  vestry,  and  a  copy  of  the 
same  sent  to  the  family  of  the  deceased. 

Dr.  Brooks  took  deep  interest  and  an  active  part  in 
the  sessions  of  the  Church  Congress,  and  it  was  there  as 
a  platform  speaker  that  he  was  deemed  to  be  at  his  best. 
Dr.  Huntington  said:  "Apart  from  his  eloquence  as  a 
public  speaker  he  was  never  at  a  loss  for  a  speech  or  a 
rejoinder,  even  when  called  upon  without  warning  or 
preparation." 

In  the  spring  of  1895  Dr.  Brooks  addressed  the  eighty- 
second  anniversary  meeting  of  the  Bible  Society  of 
Virginia,  which  was  held  in  the  city  of  Richmond.  Of 
his  address  on  this  occasion  the  Richmond  Times  said: 

The  great  feature  of  the  occasion  was  the  annual  ad- 
dress by  Rev.  Arthur  Brooks,  a  masterpiece  of  deep 
thought  and  eloquent  diction.  His  theme  was  the 
Bible  and  Bible  circulation,  and  he  thrilled  his 
hearers  with  his  earnest  eloquence.  He  spoke  for  an 
hour,  and  it  was  the  general  verdict  that  a  greater 
address  on  that  subject  had  rarely  been  heard  in  this 
city. 


172         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

The  music  in  the  parish  always  had  been  a  feature  of 
great  interest.  As  already  observed,  Dr.  Brooks  had 
happily  solved  the  problem  of  making  it  acceptable  to 
the  people  at  the  church  by  the  assistance  of  his  friend, 
Mr.  Alfred  Corning  Clark.  A  large  choir,  with  the  sup- 
port of  the  great  organ,  filled  the  church,  and  the  selection 
and  rendering  of  the  music  proved  very  acceptable. 

At  the  mission  chapel,  however,  a  different  method  was 
pursued,  as  one  better  adapted  to  the  requirements  of 
that  congregation.  When  the  chapel  was  enlarged  in 
1877,  the  organ  was  placed  on  one  side  of  the  chancel, 
and  seats  arranged  there  for  an  antiphonal  choir.  For 
many  years  members  of  the  congregation  who  volunteered 
to  sing  were  seated  in  the  church,  and  the  music  rendered 
was  of  the  simplest  character. 

Gradually  a  more  pleasing  system  prevailed,  and  under 
Mr.  Lucius  C.  Higgins  the  young  men  and  maidens  of  the 
chapel,  principally  from  the  Sunday-school,  were  trained 
for  the  choir,  selected  voices  being  given  preference,  and 
thereby  a  better  quality  of  music  was  secured.  Interest 
in  the  choir  was  also  shown  by  a  few  friends  of  the  parish 
church  who,  as  honorary  members  of  the  "Choir  Guild,'* 
contributed  funds  to  meet  the  expense  of  the  improved 
service. 

A  most  satisfactory  innovation  took  place  on  Christmas 
Day,  1892.  Heretofore  the  men  and  boys  and  young 
women  seated  in  the  chancel,  habited  in  their  ordinary 
street  dress,  made  an  unsightly  appearance.  When, 
therefore,  the  rector  and  members  of  the  mission 
board  gave  consent  to  the  vesting  of  the  choir,  if  done  at 
private  expense,  through  the  kindness  of  Mrs.  Waring,  a 
parishioner  from  earliest  days,  the  pastor  of  the  chapel 
was  able  to  provide  cassocks  and  cottas  for  the  boys  and 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  173 

men.  A  member  of  the  mission  board,  by  an  anony- 
mous gift,  supplied  similar  vestments  for  the  young 
women.  The  robing  of  the  choristers  was  therefore 
accomplished,  and,  much  to  the  delight  of  themselves 
and  of  the  congregation,  they  appeared  in  white  raiment 
on  Christmas  Day. 

As  the  mission  Sunday-school  was  taught  by  teachers 
largely  from  the  parish  church  it  became  necessary  to 
close  the  school  for  three  months  during  the  summer.  In 
order  to  provide  some  religious  instruction  for  the  children 
thus  turned  adrift,  the  pastor  divided  the  usual  service 
of  morning  prayer,  and  encouraged  the  children  to  come 
to  the  earlier  portion  of  the  service,  at  the  hour  when  the 
Sunday-school  session  had  been  held.  With  simple  music 
and  a  short  talk  to  the  children,  the  service  was  rendered 
attractive,  and  was  well  attended.  The  second  part  of 
the  service  began  with  the  litany  at  eleven  o'clock,  and 
many  of  the  older  children  remained  for  this. 

A  chapter  of  the  Brotherhood  of  St.  Andrew  was  or- 
ganized by  Mr.  William  R.  Sheffield  of  the  mission  board, 
who  devoted  himself  to  making  it  a  power  for  good 
among  young  men. 

The  Amity  Association,  a  social  club  composed  of 
young  men  under  twenty-one  years  of  age,  was  organ- 
ized November  13th,  1891.  A  room  in  the  parish  house 
was  at  their  disposal  in  the  evenings,  where  they  could 
enjoy  reading  and  amusements,  and  hold  social  and 
business  meetings.  Several  gentlemen  of  the  parish 
took  an  interest  in  the  association,  and  aided  the  young 
men  by  counsel  and  personal  attendance  at  their  meet- 
ings. The  older  members  were  helpers  in  the  chapel  in 
different  ways,  and  a  large  number  were  communicants. 

Dr.  Brooks  was  prominent  as  a  speaker  in  the  cause  of 


174         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

advocating  the  giving  of  suffrage  to  women,  and  also  was 
greatly  interested  in  the  movement  to  establish  in  New 
York  a  college  for  the  education  of  women.  As  chair- 
man of  the  executive  committee  of  that  movement,  in 
1889,  it  fell  to  his  lot  to  supervise  all  the  details  of  raising 
an  endowment  fund  as  well  as  the  money  necessary  for 
making  the  initial  movement.  The  house  No.  343 
Madison  Avenue  was  secured  as  a  temporary  building 
in  which  to  begin  the  college  course;  and  the  first  call 
for  the  assembling  of  students  was  signed  by  Hamilton 
W.  Mabie  and  Arthur  Brooks.  These  gentlemen  suc- 
ceeded in  enlisting  the  sympathy  and  active  co-operation 
of  many  wealthy  men  and  women  in  the  city,  and  a  site 
for  the  building  was  purchased  on  Morningside  Heights 
at  West  One  Hundred  and  Nineteenth  Street. 

Following  soon  after  that  purchase  came  the  gift  of 
Fiske  Hall  from  Mrs  J.  M.  Fiske,  a  gift  which  was  the 
direct  outcome  of  her  friendship  and  that  of  her  brother, 
Mr.  George  W.  Smith,  with  Mr.  Brooks.  Almost  sim- 
ultaneously came  the  gifts  of  Millbank  Hall  from  Mrs.  A. 
A.  Anderson,  herself  a  member  of  the  board  of  trustees, 
and  of  Brinckerhoff  Hall,  the  gift  of  Mrs.  VanWyck 
Brinckerhoff;  and  with  these  its  first  group  of  halls, 
Barnard  College  became  an  assured  fact. 

In  his  more  intimate  relation  to  the  college  in  its  daily 
life  Dr.  Brooks  was  as  active  as  he  was  in  the  broader  field 
of  its  establishment,  going  himself  at  the  start,  every 
morning,  to  conduct  prayers.  The  class  of  1893  elected 
him  an  honorary  member,  and  the  Undergraduate  Asso- 
ciation of  Barnard  College  in  1895  formally  dedicated  to 
him  the  second  number  of  the  Barnard  Annual,  evidences 
of  mutual  geniality  which  he  deeply  prized. 

In  various  ways  those  who  survived  Dr.  Brooks  in  the 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  175 

founding  of  what  may  today  be  called  a  great  college 
have  built  a  memory  of  him  into  its  structure.  Upon  the 
facade  of  Brinckerhoff  Hall  its  donor  had  carved  the 
Brooks  family  coat-of-arms.  His  deep  interest  in  students 
struggling  for  an  education,  against  financial  odds,  has 
been  commemorated  by  the  gift  of  a  scholarship  fund  by 
Miss  Stokes;  and  the  trustees  have  given  the  name  of 
Brooks  Hall  to  a  large  and  beautiful  dormitory. 

The  editor  of  The  Outlook  pays  this  tribute  to  Dr. 
Brooks'  work  in  behalf  of  Barnard  College : 

Identified  from  its  very  inception  with  the  move- 
ment to  provide  ample  opportunities  for  the  higher 
education  of  women  in  this  city,  Dr.  Brooks  was, 
during  the  six  arduous  years  of  its  period  of  organiza- 
tion, chairman  of  its  board  of  trustees.  He  was  prac- 
tically president  of  the  college,  though  without  the 
title  or  the  rewards  of  that  dignified  position.  He 
bore  the  burdens,  carried  the  responsibilities  and  did 
the  work  of  the  head  of  the  college  as  if  he  had 
nothing  else  to  do.  He  knew  every  detail  of  college 
management,  he  was  personally  acquainted  with  every 
student;  he  was  tireless  in  his  endeavor  to  give  the 
college  high  aims  and  sound  methods  and  to  interpret 
it  justly  to  the  community.  No  service  was  ever  more 
faithful  and  none  more  self-effacing.  When  in  the 
near  future  Barnard  College  is  nobly  housed  on 
Morningside  Heights,  it  will  not  fail  in  some  enduring 
form  to  associate  forever  with  its  growth,  this  high- 
minded  and  noble  hearted  leader  of  its  days  of  uncer- 
tain fortunes.  Such  men  are  the  true  teachers  and 
inspirers  of  youth  in  every  age. 

TheRt.  Rev.  Dr.  Phillips  Brooks,  Bishop  of  Massachu- 
setts, died  January  22d,  1893.  He  had  been  a  frequent 
visitor  at  the  rectory,  and  his  preaching  in  the  church 
was  an  event  anticipated  with  eagerness  by  the  congre- 


176         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

gation.  Not  alone  as  a  forcible  and  eloquent  preacher 
was  he  made  welcome,  but  as  a  genial  friend  of  the  parish, 
and  a  much  loved  and  honored  elder  brother  of  its  rector. 

Bishop  Brooks  was  present  at  the  Christmas  Eve  fes- 
tival, 1892,  and  preached  at  the  morning  service  on 
Christmas  Day.  This  was  the  first,  as  it  was  destined 
to  be  the  last  time  that  Phillips  Brooks,  after  consecra- 
tion as  bishop,  oflBciated  in  his  brother's  church.  His 
death  occurred  within  a  month  thereafter. 

As  a  tribute  to  Bishop  Brooks'  prominence  in  the 
ecclesiastical  world  both  at  home  and  abroad,  and  also  as 
a  testimonial  of  sympathy  for  their  rector,  his  many 
friends,  upon  learning  the  wishes  of  Dr.  Brooks  in  the 
matter,  determined  to  place  a  memorial  to  Bishop  Brooks 
in  the  church.  The  vestry  heard  with  pleasure  of  this 
spontaneous  effort  of  the  people"  to  establish  a  permanent 
memorial  to  one  whose  relations  with  the  parish  had, 
through  its  present  rector,  been  always  of  so  cordial  and 
friendly  a  character,  and  to  whom  the  congregation  had 
so  often  listened  with  that  profit  and  pleasure  which  ever 
attended  all  his  utterances." 

A  liberal  contribution  towards  the  memorial  was  sent 
to  Mr.  Waldron  P.  Brown,  treasurer  of  the  parish,  who 
addressed  a  letter  to  the  rector,  requesting  him  to  make 
arrangements  for  the  establishment  of  such  a  memorial 
as  should,  in  his  opinion,  "best  embody  and  perpetuate 
the  admiration  and  love  felt  throughout  the  whole  con- 
gregation for  the  late  Bishop  Brooks." 

Dr.  Brooks,  having  expressed  a  desire  to  have  a  bronze 
statue  of  his  brother  placed  in  the  church,  the  commission 
to  execute  such  memorial  was  given  to  Mr.  W.  Clark 
Noble. 

After  twelve  years'   connection   with  the  parish  as 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  177 

assistant  minister,  in  charge  of  the  chapel  work,  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Perkins  accepted  an  invitation  to  become  correspond- 
ing secretary  of  the  American  Church  Building  Fund 
Commission,  and  resigned  his  charge  of  the  mission  in 
February,  1895. 

The  rector  in  his  preface  to  the  Year  Book,  1895,  says: 

Mr.  Perkins  leaves  the  work  of  the  chapel  in  ex- 
cellent condition  and  all  its  departments  are  in  an 
efficient  state  of  working,  which  promises  the  very 
best  results  for  the  labors  of  his  successor. 

The  Board  of  Home  Missions  upon  receiving  this  res- 
ignation entered  upon  its  records  the  following  minute: 

The  acceptance  by  this  board  of  the  resignation  of 
the  position  of  missionary  by  the  Rev.  Newton 
Perkins  severs  a  tie  of  peculiar  closeness  and  value. 
For  twelve  years  and  a  quarter,  Mr.  Perkins'  earnest 
and  devoted  labors  have  commanded  the  gratitude  of 
the  Mission  Board.  He  has  been  a  wise  counsellor 
and  an  energetic  and  active  administrator.  His 
power  of  organizing  and  controlling  has  been  fully 
shown  in  the  establishment  and  conduct  of  the 
Summer  Home  at  Lake  Mohegan,  and  in  the  arrange- 
ments for  the  services  of  the  Chapel  and  the  orderly 
management  of  the  Mission  House.  He  has  been  de- 
voted to  the  spiritual  and  temporal  interests  of  his 
people,  and  his  labors  in  their  behalf  have  been 
untiring  and  fruitful.  His  personal  association  with 
the  members  of  this  Board  will  long  be  remembered, 
for  its  uniform  courtesy  and  the  consideration  of  all 
the  wishes  which  have  been  expressed  as  to  the  affairs 
of  the  chapel. 

We  convey  to  Mr.  Perkins  our  warmest  wishes  for 
his  success  in  the  important  and  interesting  work 
which  he  has  been  called  to  conduct.  We  pray  that 
all  his  efforts  for  its  interests  may  be  blest,  and  that  he 


178         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

himself  may  enjoy  all  personal  happiness  in  the  labor 
which  lies  before  him  in  the  Master's  vineyard. 

To  those  among  whom  he  has  ministered,  and  to 
those  with  whom  he  has  labored,  the  memory  of  his 
long  and  eventful  term  of  service  will  ever  be  most 
pleasant  and  valuable. 

(Signed)  ARTHUR  BROOKS, 

F.  E.  HYDE, 
HOWARD  CLARKSON, 
J.  T.  IJAMS. 
N.  Y.  April  22,  1895. 

The  first  year  book  of  the  parish  was  issued  by  Dr. 
Brooks,  and  in  its  successive  volumes  there  is  given  a 
concise  view  of  the  several  departments  of  work  carried 
on,  under  his  rectorship,  from  April,  1875,  to  July,  1895. 
The  contributions  from  the  congregation,  as  reported  for 
these  twenty  years,  amounted  to  $569,572.83. 

Of  this  amount,  the  sum  contributed  for  the  purchase 
of  the  house  at  Lake  Mohegan,  and  for  the  conduct  of  the 
fresh  air  work  of  the  parish,  was  $25,259.12. 

A  gift  of  $5,000  in  railway  bonds  from  Mrs.  Cornelia 
Ward  Hall  in  memory  of  her  late  husband,  John  H.  Hall, 
was  received  by  the  vestry  in  1895,  conveyed  in  a  letter 
"requesting,  but  not  requiring,  that  the  income  therefrom 
shall  be  devoted  to  the  Fresh-Air  Fund  of  the  Bethlehem 
Day  Nursery  so  long  as  such  fund  shall  be  maintained." 

On  May  10th,  1895,  the  Rev.  James  G.  Lewis  was 
appointed  an  assistant  minister  in  the  parish,  to  take 
charge  of  the  mission  chapel. 

The  following  letter  from  Rabbi  Gotthiel  of  Temple 
Emanu-El  explains  itself  and  is  evidence  of  the  kindly 
feeling  existing  between  the  congregation  of  the  Israelites 
and  the  parish  of  the  Incarnation : 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  179 

The  Rev.  Arthur  Brooks, 
My  Dear  Sir: 

I  desire  to  thank  you  cordially  for  the  letter  you 
sent  me  on  the  occasion  of  the  Golden  Jubilee  of 
Temple  Emanu-El  and  to  assure  you  that  your  words 
found  an  entrance  into  my  heart,  indeed,  into  that  of 
all  that  read  them.  My  Board  of  Trustees  espec- 
ially were  much  gratified  when  I  read  the  letter  to 
them  and  asked  me  to  put  it  amongst  the  congre- 
gational records  of  the  celebration.  May  it  be  given 
to  us,  dear  brother,  at  all  times  to  weave  such  bonds 
of  "the  invisible  church  of  the  Father  in  Heaven" 
around  the  hearts  of  men,  and  thereby  prepare  the 
way  for  His  Kingdom  to  come. 

I  am, 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

G.  GOTTHIEL. 

On  April  28th,  1895,  occurred  the  death  of  Mr.  John 
Davenport  at  the  ripe  age  of  ninety-one  years.  Mr. 
Davenport  had  been  the  first  person  to  signify  his  inten- 
tion of  uniting  with  the  new  mission  of  Grace  Church, 
on  the  corner  of  Madison  Avenue  and  Twenty-eighth 
Street  in  1849.  When  connection  with  Grace  Church 
was  severed  by  the  incorporation  of  the  Church  of  the 
Incarnation  in  1852,  Mr.  Davenport  became  one  of  its 
vestrymen  and,  after  serving  for  three  years,  was  elected 
warden.  Five  years  later  he  became  senior  warden,  and 
resigned  in  1863;  seven  years  after  that  date  he  was 
re-elected  a  vestryman  and  served  until  1876.  The  reso- 
lutions of  the  vestry,  at  a  special  meeting,  expressed  the 
sense  of  loss  which  the  parish  had  sustained  by  his 
decease,  especially  noting  his  clearness  of  mind,  his 
simplicity  of  faith  and  warmth  of  love,  as  well  as  his 
devotion  to  the  interests  of  the  church,  which  he  so  long 
ago  chose  as  his  place  of  worship  and  service. 


180         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

This  vestry  meeting  was  held  on  Sunday,  April 
28th,  1895,  and  was  the  last  at  which  the  rector  presided. 
When  the  minutes  of  this  meeting  were  later  written  out 
and  presented  to  the  rector,  it  is  noted  in  the  minute 
book,  that  he  was  too  ill  to  sign  them. 

This  fact  was  not  generally  known,  but  doubtless  it  was 
the  first  intimation  the  vestry  had  that  a  serious  break- 
down was  to  be  feared  in  their  rector's  health. 

How  serious  was  that  illness,  was  not  realized  by  his 
many  friends  until,  three  months  later,  news  reached 
them  of  his  unexpected  death. 

The  circumstances  attending  the  death  of  Dr.  Brooks 
were  exceedingly  pathetic.  Feeling  unusually  fatigued 
by  his  winter's  work,  he  had  left  the  city  on  June  14th, 
1895,  for  his  usual  summer  vacation,  and  a  long  rest  at 
Minnequa,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  had  built  a  cottage 
on  one  of  the  commanding  sites  in  that  beautiful  mountain 
region.  Having  been  advised  that  an  ocean  voyage  and 
a  sojourn  in  Europe  might  be  beneficial  to  him,  he  re- 
turned to  New  York,  and  with  Mrs.  Brooks  embarked  on 
the  steamer  Fulda  for  Southampton,  sailing  on  June 
22d.  Dr.  Brooks  stood  the  voyage  fairly  well,  but  on 
his  arrival  at  port  he  became  worse,  and  as  his  condition 
continued  to  grow  more  alarming,  his  English  physicians 
advised  his  immediate  return  to  his  country,  assuring  him 
that  they  believed  him  able  to  stand  the  voyage.  Ac- 
cordingly Dr.  and  Mrs.  Brooks  returned  by  the  same 
steamer  on  which  they  had  left  New  York.  Dr.  Brooks 
grew  more  feeble  after  he  had  embarked,  and  on  the  day 
after  the  steamer  had  sailed  from  Southampton,  at  six 
o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  tenth  day  of  July,  he  passed 
away.  Upon  the  arrival  of  the  steamer  in  New  York  the 
body  was  taken  to  the  rectory. 


THE  REV.  ARTHUR  BROOKS,  D.D.,  1895 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  181 

The  funeral  service  was  on  the  afternoon  of  July  19th. 
The  coffin  was  borne  to  the  main  entrance  of  the  church, 
attended  by  members  of  the  vestry  and  relatives  of  the 
family.  The  procession  was  there  met  by  Bishop  Potter 
and  the  clergymen  who  took  part  in  the  services.  There 
were  seated  in  the  chancel  the  Rev.  Dr.  Huntington  of 
Grace  Church,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Mottet  of  the  Church  of  the 
Holy  Communion,  Archdeacon  Van  Kleeck  of  West- 
chester, Archdeacon  Johnson  of  Richmond,  Archdeacon 
TiflFany  of  New  York,  the  Rev.  Dr.  McVickar  of  Phil- 
adelphia, the  Rev.  Dr.  Greer  of  St.  Bartholomew's,  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Rainsford  of  St.  George's,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Lang- 
ford,  the  Rev.  J.  Newton  Perkins  and  the  Rev. 
James  G.  Lewis.  In  addition  to  a  large  number  of 
vested  clergy  from  this  and  neighboring  cities,  and  a 
congregation  which  completely  filled  the  building,  there 
were  delegations  from  Barnard  College,  the  City  Mission 
Society,  and  the  Society  of  the  Sons  of  the  Revolution. 
Hymns  which  were  favorites  of  Dr.  Brooks  were  sung. 
Other  music,  rendered  by  the  organist  of  the  church, 
consisted  of  Guilmant's  "Lamentation"  and  Chopin's 
"Funeral  March." 

The  remains  of  the  deceased  rector  were  taken  that 
afternoon  by  train  to  Boston,  and  placed  in  Trinity 
Church  for  the  night.  On  the  following  day  the  inter- 
ment took  place  in  the  family  vault  at  Mt.  Auburn 
Cemetery,  his  brother  the  Rev.  John  C.Brooks  officiating. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  vestry,  July  22nd,  1895,  the  chair- 
man appointed  as  a  committee  to  draft  suitable  resolu- 
tions consequent  upon  the  death  of  the  rector,  Mr.  Fos- 
dick,  Mr.  Riker  and  Dr.  Hyde. 

The  following  is  the  minute  which  was  spread  upon  the 
vestry  records: 


182         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

An  allwise  and  over-ruling  Providence  has  removed 
suddenly  by  death  our  beloved  and  esteemed  Rector, 
Rev.  Arthur  Brooks,  D.D.  In  the  death  of  Dr. 
Brooks  this  church  has  sustained  an  irreparable  loss. 
His  kindly,  generous.  Christian  character  endeared 
him  to  every  member  of  his  congregation, — and  his 
constant  and  persevering  activity  in  his  calling,  his 
charitable  kindness  towards  the  entire  community, 
together  with  his  attractive  personality,  has  left  an 
imperishable  monument  not  only  in  the  hearts  of  his 
own  church  members,  but  amongst  all  who  were  so 
fortunate  as  to  be  brought  into  intercourse  with  him. 

To  his  widow  we  tender  our  sympathetic  and  ten- 
der condolence  in  this  her  hour  of  anguish  and  loneli- 
ness, commending  her  to  that  source  from  whence  true 
consolation  can  only  be  derived,  and  in  which  her 
truly  Christian  faith  has  taught  her  to  place  her 
reliance. 

Tributes  of  sympathy  were  received  not  only  from  the 
clergy,  and  friends  of  Dr.  Brooks,  but  also  from  the 
societies  with  which  he  was  connected.  He  was  vice- 
president  of  the  New  York  Protestant  Episcopal  City 
Mission  Society,  chairman  of  its  executive  committee, 
also  trustee  of  St.  Johnland  and  of  the  American  Church 
Missionary  Society. 

Rabbi  Gotthiel  of  the  Temple  Emanu-El  wrote  of 
Dr.  Brooks:  '*Mark  the  perfect  man  and  behold  the 
upright,  for  there  is  a  future  for  the  man  of  peace." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  William  R.  Huntington,  rector  of  Grace 
Church,  who  was  one  of  the  oldest  and  nearest  of  Dr. 
Brooks'  friends,  said : 

Dr.  Brooks  was  a  man  of  thorough  virility  and  was 
entirely  lacking  in  those  foibles  that  sometimes  char- 
acterize the  clergy.  Though  there  was  a  touch  of  sen- 
timent in  his  nature,  he  was  a  man  of  strong  feeling 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  183 

and  intense  force.  One  of  his  best  qualities  was  the 
perceptible  honesty  and  transparent  candor  of  his 
utterances.  His  high  scholastic  attainments  were 
well  known.  Even  as  a  boy  he  gave  great  promise 
of  the  distinguished  scholarship  which  he  afterward 
reached.  As  a  pupil  of  the  Latin  School  at  Boston 
he  carried  off  great  numbers  of  prizes.  He  was  over- 
shadowed to  some  extent  as  a  preacher  by  his  brother, 
Bishop  Phillips  Brooks,  but  as  a  scholar  and  as  a  mas- 
ter of  theological  knowledge,  he  was  fully  the  equal  of 
his  brilliant  relative. 

Dr.  Brooks  was  always  a  popular  man  in  clerical 
circles,  and  possessed  to  a  marked  degree  the  con- 
fidence of  his  brother  Churchmen,  even  of  those  who 
differed  widely  from  him  in  opinion.  Forcible  as  was 
his  character,  his  temperament  was  such  as  to  gain  the 
affection,  as  well  as  the  confidence  and  respect,  of  the 
assistants  who  have  been  associated  with  him  from 
time  to  time.  To  my  mind  my  departed  friend  was  at 
his  very  best  in  platform  utterances.  Apart  from  his 
eloquence  as  a  public  speaker,  he  was  never  at  a  loss 
for  a  speech  or  a  rejoinder,  even  when  called  upon 
without  warning  or  preparation.  As  an  administra- 
tor of  the  Church  Congress  his  advice  was  much  sought 
for  and  invariably  followed.  He  was  a  staunch 
adherent  of  the  Congress,  and  devoted  a  great  deal  of 
time  and  work  to  it.  Another  great  field  of  labor  of 
his  was  Barnard  College,  and  probably  his  arduous 
efforts  on  behalf  of  that  college  contributed  in  some 
respect  to  the  breaking  down  of  his  health. 

Dr.  Brooks  represented  almost  alone  among  the 
Episcopal  clergy  of  New  York  the  New  England  type 
of  religious  thought,  although  the  Puritan  strain 
was  somewhat  softened  by  the  influence  of  the  Church 
of  which  he  was  the  minister. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  vestry  of  the  Church  of  the  Incar- 
nation, September  27th,  1895,   Mr.  Stetson,  who  had 


184         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

been  specially  requested  to  confer  with  the  bishop  with 
reference  to  inviting  the  Rev.  William  M.  Grosvenor, 
rector   of   Trinity    Church,  Lenox,    Massachusetts,    to 
become  rector  of  the  church,  reported  that  the  bishop  was 
unreservedly  in  favor  of  his  election.     The  following 
resolution  was  then  offered,  and  unanimously  adopted : 
Resolved:      That   the    senior    warden    is    hereby 
authorized  in  behalf  of  the  Rector,  Church  Wardens, 
and  Vestrymen  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  to 
confer  with  the  Rev.  William  M.  Grosvenor  of  Lenox, 
Mass.,  and  to  engage  him  as  the  rector  of  this  church 
at  the  salary  of  $6,000  per  annum,  with  the  use  of  the 
rectory,  from  November  1st,  1895. 

The  following  reply  was  received  from  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Grosvenor,  accepting  the  call  to  the  rectorship. 

The  Rectory — Lenox,  Mass. 
Messrs.  E.  M.  Crawford 
and  M.  H.  Clarkson, 
Committee. 
My  Dear  Friends: 

After  the  many  verbal  assurances  which  you  have 
received,  this  note  can  only  formally  add  in  writing 
my  decision. 

I  accept  the  rectorship  of  the  Church  of  the  In- 
carnation to  begin  my  duties  there  on  December  1st. 
I  need  not  say  to  you  how  deeply  I  appreciate  the 
great  honour  of  the  call,  and  with  what  hopes  and 
fears  I  will  begin  my  ministry  among  you.  I  can 
only  give  myself  unreservedly  to  the  work,  and  wait 
and  work  for  the  future.  With  all  the  kind  and 
generous  assurance  of  the  vestry  I  feel  that  with  God's 
blessing,  we  will  be  able  to  go  forward  into  the  duties 
laid  upon  us. 
Believe  me, 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

WM.  M.  GROSVENOR. 
Oct.  25th,  1895. 


THE  BROOKS  PERIOD  185 

After  the  reading  of  the  above  letter  arrangements 
were  made,  in  accordance  with  the  wishes  of  the  newly 
elected  rector,  for  his  institution  into  the  rectorship  on 
Advent  Sunday,  December  1st,  1895.  The  Rev.  Charles 
H.  Babcock,  D.D.,  was  invited  to  officiate  at  the  church 
until  the  arrival  of  the  rector-elect. 

The  interest  of  the  rector  and  the  congregation  of  the 
parish,  in  the  work  of  the  Sheltering  Arms  has  already 
been  alluded  to  at  some  length  in  connection  with  the 
ministry  of  Dr.  Montgomery,  That  interest  continued 
to  increase  during  the  rectorship  of  Dr.  Brooks,  who  for 
many  years  was  a  member  of  its  board  of  trustees  and  a 
warm  personal  friend  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Peters.  In  appre- 
ciation of  his  great  interest  in  this  charitable  work,  an 
endowment  of  three  thousand  dollars  was  secured  to  the 
Sheltering  Arms,  as  a  memorial  of  Dr.  Brooks  for  the  pur- 
pose of  keeping  forever  free  a  bed  in  that  institution .  *  *  The 
trustees  feel  that  it  is  a  great  happiness  to  have  him  thus 
remembered,  and  to  know  that  always  in  the  years  which 
are  to  come,  one  helpess  child  will  be  cared  for,  in  the 
honored  name  of  Arthur  Brooks." 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD 

1895-1911 

THE  Rev.  William  Mercer  Grosvenor  entered  upon 
the  rectorship  of  the  parish  December  1st,  1895. 
In  accordance  with  a  resolution  of  the  vestry,  the 
service  instituting  him  as  rector  of  this  parish  was  held 
on  Advent  Sunday,  December  1st,  1895,  in  the  parish 
church,  Madison  Avenue,  corner  of  Thirty-fifth  Street. 
The  Rt.  Rev.  Henry  C.  Potter,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  bishop  of 
the  diocese,  conducted  the  service,  assisted  by  the  Rt. 
Rev.  Thomas  F.  Davies,  D.D.,  bishop  of  Michigan;  the 
Rev.  Charles  C.  Tiffany,  D.D.,  archdeacon  of  New  York; 
the  Rev.  Edwin  Harwood,  D.D.,  of  Trinity  Church, 
New  Haven,  Connecticut,  who  was  the  first  rector  of  the 
Church  of  the  Incarnation  upon  its  separation  from  Grace 
Church  in  1852;  the  Rev.  Charles  H.  Babcock,  D.D., 
and  the  Rev.  James  G.  Lewis,  assistant  minister  in  the 
parish,  in  charge  of  its  mission  chapel. 

The  service  of  institution  was  conducted  as  provided 
for  in  the  "office  of  Institution  of  Ministers." 

The  senior  warden.  Colonel  E.  M.  Crawford,  being  too 
ill  to  leave  his  house,  the  junior  warden,  Mr.  George  W. 
Smith,  and  the  senior  vestryman,  Mr.  Charles  B,  Fosdick, 
presented  the  keys  of  the  church  to  the  rector. 

After  the  sermon  by  Bishop  Potter,  the  Communion 
service  was  conducted  by  the  rector,  at  the  close  of  which 


^Jt.'^. 


'iflU^Tl^^ 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  187 

the  warden  and  vestrymen  went  forward  to  the  chancel 
steps,  and,  in  turn  taking  the  rector  by  the  hand,  bade 
him  "Godspeed." 

The  General  Missionary  Society  of  the  Parish  of  the 
Incarnation  was  organized  by  Mr.  Grosvenor  in  1896  in 
order  to  bring  into  closer  relationship  the  parish  organiza- 
tions which  had  been  created  by  former  rectors,  and  which 
had  been  doing  their  work  independently  in  several 
departments  of  the  missionary  field. 

These  societies  were  in  nowise  to  be  superseded,  but 
it  was  hoped  that  the  General  Missionary  Society  would 
better  serve  to  secure  the  interest  of  many  who  would  be 
prevented  from  actively  serving  on  any  one  of  the  in- 
dividual societies.  Under  this  general  head  all  the  so- 
cieties then  existing  were  grouped. 

The  Brotherhood  of  the  Incarnation  was  organized  in 
1893.  Its  object  was  to  create  a  central  organization 
through  which  the  personal  service  rendered  by  men  in 
the  parish  could  be  systematized.  Committees  were 
appointed  to  co-operate  with  the  men  and  boys  at  the 
chapel  in  their  work,  as  divided  into  social  clubs,  to  give 
assistance  in  the  Sunday-school,  to  welcome  strangers 
to  the  services  and  generally  to  be  helpers  to  the  rector. 

The  Archdeaconry  Committee,  organized  April  11th, 
1896,  was  to  take  up  the  work  of  City  Missions.  It  has 
made  annual  contributions  towards  the  support  of  St. 
David's  Mission  for  colored  people  in  East  One  Hundred 
and  Sixtieth  Street;  and  has  been  helpful  to  the  Arch- 
deacon of  New  York  in  other  ways. 

The  funeral  service  of  Dr.  Brooks  having  been  held 
in  midsummer,  a  large  number  of  his  brother  clergy  and 
parishioners  were  unable  to  be  present.     It  was  there- 


188        THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

fore  appropriate  that  an  opportunity  should  be  afforded 
his  brethren  to  pay  suitable  tribute  to  his  memory  upon 
their  return  to  the  city. 

Accordingly,  after  the  Rev.  Mr.  Grosvenor  had  been 
instituted  into  the  rectorship  of  the  parish,  he  arranged 
for  a  memorial  service,^  to  be  held  on  Sunday  evening, 
January  19th,  1896.  At  this  service,  in  the  absence 
of  Bishop  Potter,  the  Ven.  Archdeacon  Tiffany  presided. 
Addresses  were  made  by  the  Revs.  Dr.  Rainsford  and 
Dr.  Greer.  President  Seth  Low  of  Columbia  University 
spoke  of  the  invaluable  services  of  Dr.  Brooks  in  connec- 
tion with  the  establishment  of  Barnard  College.  The 
Rev.  Dr.  Donald,  a  warm  personal  friend,  being  the  last 
speaker,  said  that  "from  the  depths  of  his  heart  he  echo- 
ed the  tender  words  of  eulogy  which  had  been  uttered 
by  his  brother  clergymen." 

The  bishop  of  the  diocese,  in  his  convention  address, 
1895,  paid  this  worthy  tribute  to  the  memory  of  the  late 
rector: 

It  came  to  many  of  us  with  a  strange  shock  to  hear 
that  the  Rev.  Dr.  Arthur  Brooks  in  the  prime  of  life, 
and  in  the  strong  maturity  of  his  rare  and  varied  pow- 
ers, had  died  while  on  his  homeward  way  from  a  for- 
eign land.  As  rector  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarna- 
tion Dr.  Brooks  had  endeared  himself  to  a  large  and 
devoted  circle  of  friends;  as  a  preacher  of  singular 
ability,  a  pastor  of  most  tender  and  tireless  minis- 
tries and  a  friend  of  most  transparent  and  beautiful 
soul.  In  the  diocese  he  was  less  widely  known,  but 
known  always  to  be,  even  by  those  from  whom  in 
opinion  he  was  most  widely  separated,  increasingly 
honored  and  respected.  Honored — for  he  himself 
was  the  soul  of  honor;  and  respected — for  his  was  a 

^A  full  account  of  this  memorial  service,  with  the  addresses  in  full, 
was  subsequently  printed  for  distribution. 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  189 

mind  so  just,  a  judgment  so  wise,  a  temper  so  gener- 
ous that  they  could  not  but  compel  respect.  The 
community  has  lost  in  him  a  most  loyal  and  useful 
citizen,  and  the  Church  a  most  fearless  and  faithful 
son. 

At  the  parish  church  soon  after  Mr.  Grosvenor  en- 
tered upon  the  rectorship,  a  change  was  effected  in  the 
style  and  character  of  the  music. 

In  many  churches  throughout  the  city  the  custom  had 
prevailed  of  having  the  organ  and  singers  in  a  choir  gal- 
lery. Gradually  this  custom  had  been  abandoned  and 
vested  choristers  were  introduced  and  seated  in  the 
chancel.  When  Mr.  Grosvenor  came,  the  Incarnation 
was  about  the  only  Episcopal  Church  of  importance  in 
the  city  which  adhered  to  the  earlier  custom. 

Upon  the  request  of  the  rector  the  vestry  considered 
the  advisability  of  introducing  a  vested  choir,  and,  after 
some  discussion,  the  following  resolution  was  passed : 

That  the  music  committee  be  and  they  are  hereby 
directed  to  make  provision  for  the  suitable  conduct  of 
the  music  of  the  church  by  a  boy  choir  from  and  after 
May  1st,  1896;  and  that  this  resolution  be  com- 
municated to  the  present  choir,  with  an  expression  of 
regret  at  the  necessity  of  terminating  the  services 
which  for  many  years  they  had  rendered  with  fidelity 
and  admirable  Christian  spirit. 

The  necessary  architectural  changes,  under  direction 
of  Messrs.  Heins  and  LaFarge,  were  accordingly  made 
to  provide  choir  stalls  and  arrange  for  a  chancel  organ. 

Mr.  Warren  R.  Hedden,  Mus.  Bac,  was  appointed  or- 
ganist and  choir-master,  and  under  his  direction  a 
vested  choir  of  men  and  boys  was  introduced  in  the  spring 
of  1896. 


190        THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

The  wisdom  of  making  so  decided  a  change  in  the 
character  of  the  music  was  soon  recognized.  Mr.  Red- 
den, who  is  responsible  for  the  selection  and  rendering 
of  the  music  in  the  church,  and  in  the  chapel,  had  studied 
under  Dr.  Messiter  of  Trinity  Parish,  Dr.  Dudley  Buck 
and  Mr.  Frederick  W.  Archer.  Under  his  direction 
the  Incarnation  choir  had  the  honor  of  assisting  at  the 
bi-centennial  of  Trinity  parish. 

After  the  installation  of  the  new  organ  in  the  chancel,, 
the  large  one  in  the  west  gallery  remained  silent  for  over 
a  year;  but  upon  receiving  from  Mrs.  Josiah  M.  Fiske 
a  contribution  of  $1,000,  to  complete  the  electrical  con- 
nection, work  was  immediately  undertaken,  and  the 
familiar  tones  of  the  large  Roosevelt  organ  were  heard 
once  more  supporting  congregational  singing. 

During  the  absence  from  the  country  of  Dr.  Brooks 
the  bronze  memorial  to  his  brother  Phillips  (executed  by 
Noble)  was  erected  on  the  south  wall  of  the  church.  It 
represents  Bishop  Brooks  habited  in  his  familiar  silk 
gown,  facing  the  people,  one  hand  resting  upon  a  lectern, 
and  the  other  raised  as  in  the  act  of  speaking.  His  dig- 
nified demeanor,  grace  of  carriage,  familiar  pose  and 
impressive  appearance  are  well  delineated.  The  actual 
height  of  the  figure  is  seven  feet,  but  the  elevation  at 
which  it  has  been  placed  gives  the  appearance  of  Bishop 
Brooks  as  life-size. 

The  architectural  surroundings  of  the  bronze  figure  are 
partly  Gothic  and  partly  Byzantine.  Around  this  figure 
has  been  placed  a  mosaic  of  marble  and  onyx,  executed 
by  the  TiflFany  Glass  and  Decorating  Company.  The 
inscription  at  the  base  of  the  statue  reads : 

Phillips  Brooks,  Fifth  Bishop  of  Massachusetts. 
Born  December  13th,  1835;  died  January  23d,  1893. 


-1  Q 

Ph      • 

^j   > 


1-^      o 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  191 

In  the  corners  of  the  arch  above  the  head  is  the  inscrip- 
tion *' Amicus  Amicorum  Dei,''  and  also  the  scripture 
legend,  "The  Spirit  of  Man  is  the  Candle  of  the  Lord." 

In  gold  letters  are  the  words,  "They  that  be  wise  shall 
shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament,  and  they  that 
turn  many  to  righteousness  as  the  stars  forever  and  ever." 

Above  the  arch  are  inscribed  these  words:  "The  great 
preacher,  the  large  scholar,  the  faithful  priest,  the  wise 
bishop,  the  devoted  friend,  the  loving  brother,  the  noble 
man." 

Arthur  Brooks  never  saw  this  monument  to  his  brother. 
It  was  not  in  place  when  he  left  the  country  in  June,  1895, 
and  his  death  occurred  in  the  month  following. 

In  1895  the  diocesan  convention,  acting  under  pro- 
vision of  the  "Religious  Corporation  Law"  of  the  State, 
for  the  "Incorporation  and  Government  of  Protestant 
Episcopal  parishes  or  churches,"  enacted  a  canon  fixing 
the  date  for  the  annual  election  of  wardens  and  vestry- 
men on  a  "secular  day  in  the  week,  commencing  with  the 
first  Sunday  in  Advent." 

The  vestry  accordingly  passed  the  following  resolution: 

Resolved:  That  the  Rector,  Church  Wardens  and 
Vestrymen  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  in  and 
for  the  City  and  County  of  New  York,  in  vestry  duly 
assembled  this  28th  day  of  March,  1896,  do  hereby 
recommend  to  the  annual  meeting  of  the  parish  to  be 
held  on  Tuesday  in  Easter-week,  April  7th,  1896,  that 

The  date  of  the  annual  meeting  of  the  corporation 
be  changed  to  Monday  in  the  week  beginning  with 
the  first  Sunday  in  Advent;  that  the  number  of  Ves- 
trymen be  changed  to  nine;  that  the  terms  of  the 
Church-wardens  be  changed  so  that  one  warden  be 
elected  annually;  that  the  terms  of  the  vestrymen  be 
so  changed  that,  of  those  elected  on  Advent  Monday, 


192        THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

1896,  three  shall  hold  office  for  one  year,  three  for 
two  years,  and  three  for  three  years,  and  that  all  ves- 
trymen thereafter  elected  at  any  annual  election 
shall  hold  office  for  three  years. 

Accordingly  at  the  annual  parish  meeting,  held  April 
7th,  1896,  being  Tuesday  in  Easter- week,  the  rector 
presided,  and  Dr.  Frederick  E.  Hyde  was  chosen  clerk. 
After  all  present  had  voted  and  the  polls  were  declared 
closed,  it  was  duly  ascertained,  and  the  fact  announced  by 
the  presiding  officer,  that,  acting  under  the  resolution  of 
the  vestry  above  quoted,  the  date  for  the  annual  parish 
meeting  had  been  changed  to  the  Monday  in  the  week 
beginning  with  Advent  Sunday;  and  those  elected  at 
this  meeting  were  declared  to  hold  office  until  such  date. 

On  Monday,  November  30th,  agreeable  to  the  above 
resolution,  the  annual  election  of  the  parish  was  held,  and 
the  rector  declared  the  result  of  the  votes  cast,  to  be  the 
election  of  the  following  duly  qualified  persons,  to  hold 
office  respectively  for  the  terms  severally  and  respect- 
ively indicated,  to  wit: 

For  Church  Warden,  to  serve  two  years:  Edgar  M. 

Crawford. 
For  Church  Warden,  to  serve  one  year:  George  W. 

Smith. 
For   vestrymen,   to   serve   three  years:  Charles   B. 

Fosdick .  John  L.  Riker,  Francis  Lynde  Stetson. 
For  vestrymen,  to  serve  two  years:  Montgomery  H. 

Clarkson,  Waldron  P.  Brown,  James  McLean. 
For   vestrymen,    to    serve   one   year:  Frederick   E. 

Hyde,  Herbert  Valentine,  Charles  Lanier. 

One  of  the  earliest  acts  of  this  vestry  was  the  passage 
of  resolutions  expressing  grateful  acknowledgment  of 
a  generous  bequest  of  $25,000  from  the  estate  of  Mr. 
Alfred  Corning  Clark,  for  the  endowment  fund  of  the 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  19S 

parish.  Two  pews  in  the  west  transept  of  the  church, 
numbered  219  and  220,  were  placed  at  the  disposal  of 
Mrs.  Clark,  that  she  might  place  on  either  of  them  a 
memorial  inscription. 

In  1896  there  was  erected  in  the  chancel  of  the  church, 
by  the  daughters  of  the  late  John  Davenport,  a  reredos  of 
caenstone,  which,  with  the  marble  surrounding  it,  forms 
a  memorial  of  two  faithful  saints  departed,  and  bears  the 
following  inscriptions : 

This  Reredos  is  Placed  Here 

in  Loving  Memory  of 

John  Davenport 

Born  December  8th,  1804, 

Died  April  28th,  1895. 

This  Marble  is  Placed  Here 

in  Thankful  Memory  of 

Sarah  C.  Davenport, 

Born  September  29th,  1807, 

Died  March  30th,  1881. 

At  a  vestry  meeting  December  18th,  1896,  a  committee 
of  the  board  of  managers  of  the  mission  presented  a  re- 
port on  the  advisability  of  increasing  the  facilities  for 
mission  work  in  Thirty-first  Street.  This  report  stated 
that  the  present  buildings  "were  not  only  miserably 
adapted  to  the  work,  but  were  positively  inadequate  in 
size,  and  that  any  alterations  or  rebuilding  would  be  only 
a  waste  of  money,  as  contrasted  with  the  general  scope 
and  province  of  the  work  to  be  accomplished."  The 
committee  stated  also  that  by  the  purchase  of  two  ad- 
joining buildings,  west  of  the  chapel,  they  could,  if 
necessary,  be  made  to  answer  a  temporary  purpose;  and 
the  old  parish  house  could  be  leased,  thus  controlling  its 
future  use.     Such  purchase  would  require  an  outlay  of 


194         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

about  $40,000,  and  it  would  secure  for  the  mission  work 
one  of  the  finest  sites  in  the  city. 

The  Mission  Board  accordingly  recommended  to  the 
vestry  the  purchase  of  the  premises  Nos.  238  and  240 
East  Thirty-first  Street  at  a  price  not  to  exceed  $36,000. 

The  necessity  for  securing  the  property  appearing  to 
be  urgent,  and  the  terms  considered  reasonable,  authority 
was  given  by  the  vestry,  to  the  rector  and  the  treasurer, 
to  negotiate  for  the  same  at  a  sum  not  exceeding  $18,000 
for  each  house. 

These  buildings  were  subsequently  altered  to  allow 
for  the  more  efficient  prosecution  of  the  work  in  connec- 
tion with  the  young  people's  societies,  and  for  the  tem- 
porary residence  of  the  vicar. 

Mr.  Charles  B.  Fosdick,  a  vestryman  in  this  church 
since  1873,  died  April  26th,  1897.  The  vestry  recorded 
their  appreciation  of  his  long  and  faithful  services,  his 
practical  sagacity,  and  his  large  executive  ability. 

A  heartfelt  tribute  of  affection  for  their  late  rector  by 
his  sorrowing  people  was  manifested  when,  on  the  morn- 
ing of  All  Saints'  Day,  1898,  there  was  unveiled  upon  the 
south  wall  of  the  church,  a  bronze  and  marble  tablet 
in  memory  of  Dr.  Arthur  Brooks.  The  bronze  bust  of 
the  late  rector  was  designed  by  Mr.  Daniel  Chester 
French,  and  the  architectural  setting  was  by  Mr.  Henry 
Bacon,  architect.  The  design  of  the  monument  is  a 
modification  of  wall  monuments  by  Donatello  and  Mino 
da  Fiesole,  which  usually  contained  a  relief  of  the  Ma- 
donna in  the  space  where  the  bust  of  Dr.  Brooks  is  placed. 
The  bronze  portrait  is  in  high  relief,  under  a  canopy  of 
Sienna  marble  having  a  background  of  blue  mosaic. 
The  monument  bears  an  inscription  by  Dr.  Brooks* 
intimate  friend  the  Rev.  Dr.  Charles  C.  Tiffany. 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  195 

Arthur  Brooks,  Doctor  in  Divinity 
1845-1895. 
For  Twenty  Years  Rector  of  This  Church 
1875-1895. 
Of  Clear  Vision  Of  Broad  Sympathies 

Of  Reverent  Faith  Of  Unfaltering  Courage 

Of  Steadfast  Truthfulness. 
Honored  and  loved  by  his  flock  "he  fed  them  with  a 
faithful  and  true  heart,  and  ruled  them  prudently  with 
all  his  power." 

Upon  the  marble  entablature  above  the  bronze  are 
these  words:  "In  Te  Domine  Speravi." 

At  this  ceremony  of  unveiling,  the  bishop  of  the  dio- 
cese was  represented  by  Archdeacon  TiflFany.  The 
preacher  was  the  Rev.  John  Cotton  Brooks,  rector  of 
Christ  Church,  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  a  brother  of 
the  deceased  rector.  After  the  sermon  there  was  a 
celebration  of  the  Holy  Communion,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Gros- 
venor  being  the  celebrant. 

The  service  of  dedication  was  as  follows :  Archdeacon 
Tiffany  read  the  third  chapter  from  "The  Wisdom  of 
Solomon,"  and  offered  the  following  special  prayer: 

O  God  who  didst  put  it  into  the  heart  of  Thy  ser- 
vant Joshua,  to  build  up  stones  to  be  a  memorial  unto 
Israel  forever,  vouchsafe,  we  beseech  Thee  that  this 
memorial  which  we  now  dedicate,  may  stand  before  all 
thy  people,  for  a  witness  to  the  faithful  service  of 
him  who  ministered  before  Thee  in  this  thy  holy  tem- 
ple; and  grant  that  we,  faithfully  serving  thee  in  our 
day  and  generation,  may,  with  thy  blessed  saints  be 
builded  living  stones  into  thy  temple  in  heaven.  All 
of  which  we  ask  for  Jesus  Christ,  His  sake.     Amen. 

The  Bishop  of  New  York  sent  the  following  letter, 
which  was  read  by  the  rector: 


196        THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

My  dear  Dr.  Grosvenor: 

It  is  a  great  grief  to  me  that  I  may  not  be  at  the 
Church  of  the  Incarnation  on  All  Saints'  Day;  but 
imperative  duty  compels  me  to  leave  town. 

But  I  can  not  refrain  from  sending  you  this  word 
of  sympathy  with  what  you  and  your  people  will  be 
doing  tomorrow.  It  is  well  that  it  should  be  done; 
for  there  have  been  few  men  in  our  ministry,  within 
my  recollection,  with  so  noble  a  spirit,  so  high  an  aim, 
with  gifts  so  distinguished,  and  courage  and  loyalty 
to  all  righteousness  so  unswerving,  as  the  late  rector 
of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation. 

I  am  glad  to  think  that  there  is  to  be  some  visible 
memorial  of  him  upon  its  walls,  and  I  bless  God  for 
his  work  in  your  parish  and  our  diocese. 
Affectionately  yours, 

H.  C.  POTTER. 

From  a  reporter's  pen  we  obtain  an  abstract  of  the 
sermon  on  this  occasion. 

On  the  morning  of  All  Saints'  Day  there  was  un- 
veiled in  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  New  York,  a 
fine  relief  in  bronze,  set  in  Sienna  marble,  of  a  bust  of 
the  Rev.  Arthur  Brooks,  for  twenty  years  rector  of 
the  parish.  A  sermon  of  great  power  and  beauty  was 
preached  by  the  Rev.  John  Cotton  Brooks,  the  last 
of  the  four  preachers  of  the  famous  family.  Looking 
toward  the  new  memorial,  and  past  the  life-size 
bronze  of  his  still  more  famous  brother,  Phillips 
Brooks,  the  speaker  told  with  rare  insight,  of  the  happy 
accidents  of  birth  and  inheritance,  of  the  Puritan  an- 
cestry (God-fearing  and  man-loving),  the  life  guided 
amid  the  sacraments,  and  the  dignified  services  of  the 
Church  of  his  birth  and  of  his  love,  which  had  made 
the  setting  in  which  the  healthy  nature  of  the  boy 
had  responded  to  the  light  of  God.  "Many  a  man," 
once  said  Phillips  Brooks,  "can  say,  I  did  the  things 
my  father  told  me;  but    the  man  I  am,  my  mother 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  197 

made  me."  In  his  touching  tribute  to  the  mother  of 
the  six  boys  whose  lives  were  so  supremely  influenced 
by  her  power,  the  preacher  quoted  inspiring  hymns 
and  verses  and  prayers  which  she  used  to  repeat  with 
shining  face,  to  her  boys,  and  which  became  an  in- 
spiration in  their  lives. 

"A  witness  to  the  Light," — (that  was  how  the  speak- 
er conceived  of  the  life  of  his  brother) — a  life  wide- 
open;  its  background,  God,  its  foreground,  men; 
fulfilling  its  mission,  not  telling  of  the  Light  but 
shining  by  it;  not  a  reflection,  but  a  fire;  a  burning  as 
well  as  a  shining  light;  an  influence  luminous  with 
its  message  from  God.  Passing  over  the  details  of  a 
ministry  at  Williamsport  and  Chicago,  and  here  in 
the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  the  speaker  dwelt 
largely  on  the  work  of  his  brother  as  a  citizen  of  New 
York,  especially  in  relation  to  the  founding  of  Barnard 
College.  Seeing  the  unfulfilled  possibilities  of  girl- 
hood in  New  York  which  "offered  to  a  woman 
everything  but  an  education,"  he  spent  five  years  in 
establishing  the  great  college  on  a  democratic  basis, 
with  business-like  financial  methods;  but  his  real 
work  was  the  development  of  the  spiritual  life  among 
the  girls  themselves.  A  year  at  Andover  put  him 
into  exceptionally  cordial  relations  with  the  Congre- 
gational clergy;  he  was  honored  with  degrees  from 
Princeton  and  from  the  University  of  New  York ;  he 
was  a  member  of  many  clubs ;  a  laborer  for  city  mis- 
sions. Said  the  speaker,  in  conclusion:  "I  write  of 
one  when  with  dim  eyes;  I  think  oi  three."  "Into  the 
furnace  were  there  not  three  men  cast?  Out  of  the 
flames  of  affliction  I  see  emerge  these  three  forms ; 
and  the  form  of  the  fourth,  with  whom  they  walk 
in  light,  surely  it  is  nothing  less  than  the  form  of  the 
Son  of  God. 

The  rector  and  vestry,  on  November  21st,  1897, 
signed  the  postulant's  certificate  of  Mr.  Anson  Phelps 
Stokes,  Jr.,  a  candidate  for  Holy  Orders,  and  also  con- 


198        THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

firmed  the  appointment  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  F.  Davies, 
Jr.,  as  assistant  minister  of  the  parish.  On  March  27th, 
1898,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Davies'  certificate  as  a  candidate  for 
the  priesthood  was  signed.  On  October  31st,  1898,  the 
Rev.  Henry  R.  Wadleigh  was  appointed  vicar  of  the 
chapel,  and  the  Rev.  Horace  G.  Hooker  was  elected  an 
assistant  minister  of  the  parish. 

A  commendable  feature  of  the  fresh  air  work,  which 
was  undertaken  at  this  time,  was  the  conversion,  tem- 
porarily, of  the  Summer  Home  at  Mohegan  into  a  camp 
for  convalescent  soldiers  at  the  close  of  the  Spanish  War. 
On  September  19th,  1898,  the  house  was  given  into  the 
charge  of  the  special  committee  of  the  Red  Cross  Society 
for  that  purpose.  The  matron  and  the  parish  nurse  were 
on  duty  to  conduct  the  household  affairs  and  to  care  for 
the  sick.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Hooker  sought  out  and  sent 
from  New  York  such  convalescent  soldiers  as  especially 
required  nursing  and  bracing  air.  This  care  of  the  in- 
valids continued  for  two  months;  and  during  that  time 
eighty-three  soldiers  were  received  into  the  "home,'* 
representing  regiments  in  both  the  regular  and  the  volun- 
teer service.  The  results  of  this  good  work  were  far 
reaching  for  whilst  the  patients  were  restored  to  health 
in  the  Mohegan  camp,  on  thier  return  home,  in  several 
instances,  members  of  their  families  connected  themselves 
with  the  chapel.  The  favorable  accounts  which  these 
men  made  to  their  comrades,  caused  the  "Incarnation 
Soldiers'  Rest"  to  become  well  known  in  the  different 
armories  of  the  city. 

In  grateful  acknowledgment  of  the  care  and  attention 
bestowed  upon  the  soldiers  at  the  convalescent  camp, 
members  of  the  Seventy-First  regiment  presented  a  flag 
and  staff  to  the  summer  home.     The  colors  were  raised 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  199 

on  June  25th,  1899,  by  Private  Vermilyea,  in  behalf  of  the 
men  of  his  regiment.  Dr.  Grosvenor  acknowledged  the 
gift  by  a  letter  to  the  colonel  of  the  regiment. 

The  bishop  having  honored  the  Church  of  the  Incar- 
nation by  selecting  it  as  the  place  of  meeting  for  the  dio- 
cesan convention,  in  1898  the  vestry  very  gladly  placed 
the  church  at  his  disposal. 

On  Wednesday,  September  29th,  being  the  festival  of 
St.  Michael  and  All  Angels'  and  the  day  appointed  for 
the  meeting  of  the  annual  convention,  the  Holy  Commu- 
nion was  celebrated  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  T.  U.  Dudley,  D.D., 
Bishop  of  Kentucky,  assisted  by  the  archdeacons  pres- 
ent, the  Rev.  Dr.  Grosvenor,  and  the  secretaries  of  the 
convention.  The  sermon  was  by  the  Rev.  Charles  Gore, 
D.D.,  Canon  of  Westminster  Abbey,  London.  In  the 
absence  of  the  bishop  of  the  diocese,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Morgan 
Dix,  rector  of  Trinity  parish,  presided. 

Shortly  after  Dr.  Grosvenor  had  become  established 
in  his  work  he  received  a  call  to  become  an  assistant 
minister  in  Trinity  Parish,  and  vicar  of  St.  Agnes'  Chapel. 
Upon  due  consideration  he  declined  the  invitation.  The 
vestry  thereupon,  by  formal  resolution,  December  9th, 
1898,  expressed  its  gratification  upon  learning  the  deci- 
sion of  Dr.  Grosvenor,  and  that  he  had  said  that  "God 
willing,  he  would  remain  the  rector  of  this  parish." 

Colonel  Edgar  Mortimer  Crawford  died  on  Decem- 
ber 14th,  1898,  and  a  suitable  minute  was  spread  upon  the 
record  book  of  the  vestry,  rehearsing  that  "for  nearly 
forty  years  Colonel  Crawford  had  been  connected  with 
the  parish,  serving  in  the  vestry  since  1860.  He  was 
elected  warden  in  1883,  and  became  the  senior  warden 
in  1884.  For  many  years  he  was  also  the  treas- 
urer of  the  parish."     The  vestry  recorded  their  "deep 


200        THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

appreciation  of  his  life  and  services,  and  their  gratitude 
to  God  for  the  example  of  his  steadfastness  in  the  faith, 
and  his  nobility  of  character." 

The  Bethlehem  Day  Nursery,  which  was  established 
in  1882  and  incorporated  in  1885,  continued  to  do  its 
effective  work  in  caring  for  the  little  children  of  working 
women,  and  has  strongly  commended  itself  to  the  hearts 
of  the  people. 

In  1893  the  treasurer  of  the  parish  was  authorized  in 
behalf  of  the  corporation  to  accept  the  title  deed  and  to 
take  possession  of  the  premises,  No.  249  East  Thirtieth 
Street,  New  York  City,  subject  to  a  mortgage  thereon  of 
$2,000;  and  the  vestry  voted  that  "the  use  of  the  prem- 
ises for  a  day  nursery  be  permitted  and  given  to  the 
Bethlehem  Day  Nursery,  subject  to  the  payment  by 
that  corporation  of  interest,  insurance  and  taxes." 

Under  Mr.  Grosvenor's  rectorship  fresh  impetus  was 
given  to  the  summer  work  from  the  first.  The  managers 
of  the  Bethlehem  Day  Nursery  had  sent  children  each 
year  to  the  summer  home  at  Lake  Mohegan.  In  1895 
Mrs.  John  Byers  generously  provided  funds  for  building  a 
cottage  on  these  grounds,  and,  when  completed,  she  pre- 
sented it  to  the  parish  for  the  exclusive  use  of  the  chil- 
dren of  the  Bethlehem  Day  Nursery.  It  was  furnished 
throughout  by  Mrs.  P.  M.  Bryson;  and  in  the  summer 
of  1896  was  formally  opened  by  Mr.  Grosvenor  and  ded- 
icated under  the  name  of  "The  Arthur  Brooks  Memorial 
Cottage."  This  beautiful  house  is  an  attractive  feature  of 
the  summer  home  property,  and  shelters  many  little 
children  of  working  women  who  are  cared  for  here  during 
the  summer. 

In  1899  a  three-story  addition  was  built  and  sundry 
improvements  were  made  in  the  house  No.  249  East 


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THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  201 

Thirtieth  Street,  for  all  of  which  the  managers  are  greatly 
indebted  to  Mrs.  James  McLean. 

The  inestimable  benefit  which  the  day  nursery  has 
been  to  both  mothers  and  children  since  its  establishment, 
is  shown  by  the  statement  of  its  secretary,  that  at  the  end 
of  thirty  years  the  aggregate  attendance  has  been  353,103 
children. 

For  the  past  twenty-two  years  the  children  have  been 
under  the  supervision  and  daily  care  of  Miss  H.  C.  Perry, 
the  efficient  house-mother. 

Miss  F.  A.  Smith,  daughter  of  Mr.  George  W.  Smith, 
has  been  the  president  since  1903. 

On  the  north  wall  of  the  church  there  is  a  bronze  tablet, 
designed  by  Mr.  Bruce  Price,  to  the  memory  of  Alfred 
Corning  Clark,  in  appreciation  of  his  many  generous 
gifts  to,  and  invaluable  services  in,  the  parish.  The 
inscription  reads: 

To  the  Glory  of  God  and  in  grateful  memory  of 

Alfred  Corning  Clark 

November  14,  1844— April  8,  1896. 

A    friend    of    men;  a  servant    of    God. 


By  the  Wardens  and  Vestry  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation. 


As  already  stated  the  parish  was  greatly  indebted  to 
Mr.  Clark  for  his  long  continued  personal  service  in  per- 
fecting the  music  of  the  church,  during  the  rectorship  of 
Dr.  Brooks.  Dr.  Grosvenor,  referring  to  this,  as  well  as 
to  Mr.  Clark's  generous  gifts  to  the  parish,  truly  says: 

"This  parish  appreciates  deeply  all  that  Alfred  Corning 
Clark  did  for  it;  and  his  legacy  for  its  endowment  fund 
will  be,  through  all  the  years,  a  witness  to  his  devotion  to 
its  interests  and  of  his  loyal  friendship  to  our  late  rector." 

The  vestry  also  erected  a  bronze  tablet  in  memory  of 


202        THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Mr.  George  Washington  Smith,  whose  generous  devotion 
to  the  parish  had  extended  over  many  years. 

A  suitable  minute  was  made  in  the  records  of  the  ves- 
try, upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Smith,  senior  warden  of  the 
church,  who  became  a  member  of  the  parish  in  1862,  a 
vestryman  in  1870,  and  elected  warden  in  1884.  Mr. 
Smith  died  at  North  East  Harbor,  Maine,  August  1st, 
1901.  For  almost  forty  years  without  intermission,  and 
with  loving  and  unwearied  zeal,  he  had  served  the  church 
and  its  people.  In  the  care  of  the  edifice,  in  the  main- 
tenance of  the  music,  and  in  the  loyal  support  of  his  pas- 
tor he  never  failed.  The  organ  with  its  present  equip- 
ment is  largely  due  to  the  gifts  and  supervision  of  Mr. 
Smith. 

The  Rev.  Horace  Clarke  Hooker,  who  had  serve  d  a 
the  chapel  for  more  than  two  years,  and  thereafter  for  a 
few  months  was  curate  at  the  church,  died  after  a  brief 
illness  February  9th,  1901. 

The  members  of  the  mission  board  put  on  record  their 
appreciation  of  Mr.  Hooker's  ministrations  in  the  parish, 
saying: 

He  was  an  earnest  and  faithful  worker,  deeply 
interested  in  the  daily  life  of  the  chapel  congregation, 
and  by  his  sympathetic  manner  had  endeared  himself 
to  its  individual  members.  His  work  among  the 
young  men  and  boys  of  the  chapel  was  especially  suc- 
cessful, and  in  their  outings,  at  the  Summer  Home 
they  looked  to  him  as  their  leader  and  director  in  all 
their  sports.  The  example  of  his  lovely  Christian 
character,  and  his  self-denial  for  others,  must  ever 
influence  for  the  better,  not  only  those  who  were 
directly  under  his  care,  but  all  with  whom  he  came 
in  contact. 

We  therefore  place  upon  record  this  minute  as  indi- 
cating, in  a  slight  degree,  our  appreciation  of  the 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  203 

character  and  labors  of  our  beloved  brother,  whose 
service  in  the  ministry  of  Christ,  although  short,  was 
full  of  ministrations  that  brightened  the  lives  of  many, 
and  who  has  now  been  taken  to  be  with  Christ,  and 
with  the  Father  who  doeth  all  things  well. 

Frederick  E.  Hyde, 
W.  P.  Brown, 
Henry  G.  DeMeli, 

Committee. 

After  many  years  of  constant  use  the  parish  house  had 
become  totally  unfit  for  further  occupancy.  This  fact 
being  generally  recognized,  it  became  necessary  to  re- 
place it  with  a  modern  building  equipped  for  industrial 
and  social  work.  The  vestry  taking  cognizance  of  this 
matter  on  May  6th,  1901,  resolved  that, 

Whereas,  It  is  the  wish  of  this  parish  to  provide  a 
new  mission  house,  as  an  aid  to  its  religious  and  char- 
itable work ;  and 

Whereas,  The  estimated  cost  of  such  mission  house 
is  about  $90,000,  of  which  there  has  been  generously 
given  or  promised,  about  $60,000,  the  vestry  gives 
consent  to  the  erection  of  a  mission  house  on  the 
property  owned  by  this  corporation  in  East  Thirty- 
first  Street,  and  directs  that  the  work  be  begun  at 
once,  under  direction  of  Mr.  Henry  Vaughan,  archi- 
tect. 

The  contributions  of  Dr.  Arthur  Brooks' friends  for  a 
memorial  to  Bishop  Brooks  had  been  so  liberal  that  after 
all  exf)enses  attending  the  placing  of  this  mural  monu- 
ment had  been  paid,  there  remained  quite  a  large  unex- 
pended balance.  This  sum,  by  consent  of  the  several 
donors,  was  added  to  the  fund  for  building  the  new  parish 
house;  and  it  was  decided  that  upon  completion,  it 
should  be  dedicated  as  a  memorial  to  Arthur  Brooks. 


204         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Mrs.  George  W.  Collard,  in  commemoration  of  the 
long  and  faithful  services  in  the  parish  of  her  brother 
Mr.  George  W.  Smith,  and  to  commemorate  his  interest 
in  this  mission,  contributed  $20,000  towards  the  new 
building;  to  which  fund  many  generous  contributions 
were  added  by  others  in  the  parish;  so  that  the  building 
of  the  "Arthur  Brooks  Parish  House"  was  made  imme- 
diately possible. 

With  the  purchase  of  the  two  houses,  west  of  the  chapel, 
and  the  building  of  a  new  parish  house,  the  spirit  of 
giving  was  awakened  in  the  hearts  of  many  parishioners. 
Great,  therefore,  was  the  rejoicing  throughout  the  parish, 
when  the  rector  made  the  announcement  that  Mr. 
Edward  Severin  Clark  had  offered  to  build  a  new  chapel 
on  the  site  of  the  present  one  entirely  at  his  own  ex- 
pense, and  as  a  memorial  to  his  late  father,  Alfred  Corning 
Clark,  and  also  that  Mrs.  Clark  had  desired  that  the 
chapel  property  should  be  free  of  debt. 

The  work  of  demolition  began  at  once,  and  at  the  last 
service  in  the  old  chapel,  April  28th,  1901,  the  rector  was 
present,  and  made  an  address  to  the  people,  alluding  to 
the  faithful  work  which  had  been  done  by  and  for  them 
during  the  forty  years  which  were  past,  and  telling  them 
of  the  bright  prospects  of  the  mission  for  many  years  to 
come.  In  order  to  have  a  place  for  worship  until  the  new 
building  should  be  finished,  temporary  rooms  were 
provided  by  removing  partitions  in  the  house,  west  of 
the  church.  No.  236  East  Thirty-first  Street,  which  had 
been  recently  purchased,  and  here  unceasingly  the  routine 
work  of  the  mission  was  carried  on.  A  vacant  store.  No. 
466  Third  Avenue,  was  rented  for  a  year,  and  the  religious 
part  of  the  chapel  work  was  conducted  therein. 

The    chapel    was    soon    dismantled.     The    memorial 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  205 

windows  placed  therein  by  the  congregation,  described 
on  page  164,  were  carefully  preserved.  The  organ  and 
pews  were  given  to  St.  George's  Church,  Williamsbridge, 
N.  Y.  The  marble  font,  alluded  to  on  page  165,  given  to 
the  chapel  by  Miss  Pulling,  was,  with  permission  of  the 
rector,  given  to  the  new  mission  chapel  of  the  Holy 
Nativity  in  the  Bronx. 

A  fitting  commemoration  of  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of 
the  founding  of  the  parish  was  begun  on  Saturday,  April 
19th,  1902,  by  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  the  Alfred 
Corning  Clark  Memorial  Chapel  of  the  Incarnation  in 
East  Thirty-first  Street,  on  the  site  where  in  1860  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Taylor  of  Grace  Church  had  laid  the  corner- 
stone of  the  first  chapel. 

Bishop  Potter,  himself  a  former  rector  of  Grace  Church, 
was  assisted  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Grosvenor,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Wadleigh,  vicar,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Aitkins,  curate,  the  Ven. 
Archdeacon  Tiffany  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Vibbert  of  Trinity 
Chapel.  After  the  bishop  had  placed  the  stone,  ad- 
dresses were  made  by  himself  and  by  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Grosvenor.  The  parish  choir  rendered  the  musical  part 
of  the  service,  including  an  anthem  by  F.  H.  Cowen, 
"Except  the  Lord  build  the  house."  After  the  service 
the  guests  were  invited  to  inspect  the  Arthur  Brooks 
Parish  House,  now  nearing  completion. 

Upon  the  following  Sunday,  April  20th,  a  further  com- 
memorative service  was  held  in  the  parish  church.  The 
historical  sermon  was  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  William  R.  Hunt- 
ington. In  the  chancel  with  the  rector  and  clergy  of  the 
parish,  were  the  Venerable  Archdeacon  of  New  York  and 
the  Rev.  Professor  C.  N.  Shepard  of  the  General  Theo- 
logical Seminary. 


206        THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

In  the  afternoon  of  that  day  the  bishop  of  the  diocese 
administered  the  rite  of  confirmation. 

An  elaborate  musical  service  was  rendered  by  the  choir 
with  orchestral  accompaniment  on  Wednesday  evening, 
April  23d.  Sullivan's  "Festival  Te  Deum"  was  sung, 
and  also  a  hymn,  "With  Gladsome  Feet,'*  composed 
for  the  occasion  by  Mr.  W.  R.  Hedden,  under  whose 
direction  the  festival  was  arranged  and  conducted. 

On  Sunday,  April  27th,  the  rector  preached  a  sermon 
from  the  text,  Isaiah  LVIII:  verses  8-12. 

The  preacher  said:  "It  has  been  stated  of  William  E. 
Gladstone  that  among  all  his  many  striking  qualities  of 
mind,  none  was  more  remarkable  than  his  power  of  mak- 
ing interesting  the  dry  and  dreary  details  of  the  budget. 
Of  all  the  speeches  of  the  Chancellors  of  the  Exchequer, 
his  were  always  illuminating,  and  crowds  thronged  to 
hear  them.  Statistics  and  facts  may  be  treated  with  such 
lucidity,  and  so  grouped  that  they  will  vividly  help  the 
imagination,  and  form,  as  it  were,  centres  of  thought 
which  are  indispensable  to  a  clear  understanding  of  any 
large  and  intricate  subject.  A  date  may  become  the  one 
crucial  point  about  which  gather  a  hundred  delightful 
stories.  What  would  we  do  today,  without  the  magic 
dates  1492,  1620,  1776? 

"Statistics  are  very  fallible,  and  may  easily  be 
manipulated  for  the  establishment  of  falsehoods;  and 
yet  to  be  told  that  a  New  England  country  village,  which 
once  had  a  thousand  people  now  has  but  a  hundred;  and 
that  in  1852,  the  date  of  the  organization  of  our  parish,  the 
city  of  New  York  had  only  half  a  million  people,  and 
today  in  the  one  borough  of  Manhattan  we  may  count 
over  two  million,  how  these  two  facts  at  once  bring  us 
to  the  very  centre  and  heart  of  great  sociological  prob- 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  207 

lems,  and  make  us  realize  the  growing  importance  of 
city  life  and  the  momentous  issues  that  are  awaiting  its> 
development. 

"On  several  occasions  within  recent  years,  we  have  re- 
viewed the  characters  of  the  rectors  of  this  parish,  Doctors 
Harwood,  Montgomery  and  Brooks.  After  the  very 
admirable  portrayal  of  their  personal  characteristics  and 
their  large  services  to  the  Church  which  we  had  the 
privilege  of  listening  to  last  Sunday,  both  from  the  rector 
of  Grace  Church  and  the  Bishop  of  New  York,  it  rather 
falls  to  my  lot  to  describe  what  these  men  did  for  our 
parish  than  to  repeat  what  already  has  been  so  fittingly 
spoken.  We  sometimes  long  for  the  good  old  times,  and 
fancy  that  somehow  they  were  better  than  our  own;  and 
yet  I  doubt  if  any  devout  and  earnest  Churchman  would 
care  to  have  lived  in  this  diocese  in  the  period  immediate- 
ly preceding  the  foundation  of  this  parish.  After  the 
fierce  and  painful  controversy  concerning  Bishop  Onder- 
donk,  the  distracted  diocese  of  New  York  had  at  last 
elected  as  Provisional  Bishop  the  saintly  Dr.  Wainwright,. 
and  on  November  22d,  1852,  nine  months  after  our  in- 
corporation, he  was  consecrated.  He  lived  only  two 
years,  and  one  of  our  earliest  parish  records  are  resolu- 
tions of  sympathy  and  loving  respect  of  the  Church  of  the 
Incarnation  for  his  memory.  In  1854  Dr.  Horatia 
Potter  succeeded  him.  There  is  no  sign  of  this  parish 
ever  having  a  share  in  any  militant  party  issues;  but 
beginning  its  history  with  the  peace  of  Dr.  Wainwright's 
episcopate,  the  parish  grew  and  prospered,  and  from  that 
day  to  this  has  been  untouched  by  controversies  and  free 
from  all  contentions." 

Having  viewed  the  important  events  of  parish  life,  as 
they  have  been  more  fully  stated  in  the  preceding  pages. 


208        THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

the  preacher  quoted  the  words  of  Dr.  Brooks,  "Let  us 
build  the  spire  as  a  declaration  that  we  propose  to  stay 
here  on  this  corner,  and  then  with  that  purpose  clearly 
fixed,  let  us  provide  for  the  uncertainties  of  the  future  by 
the  gradual  accumulation  of  an  endowment  fund. 

"And  so  we  will  enter  into  the  future.  We  will  go  on 
making  this  House  of  God  more  and  more  beautiful,  add- 
ing precious  memorials,  like  the  Constable  Chapel  which 
we  hope  to  build  this  summer,  and  then  with  our  new 
buildings  in  Thirty-first  Street  we  will  go  forward  to 
strengthen  what  we  have,  and  gradually  endow  it,  until 
in  every  part  of  the  work,  we  will  feel  ourselves  able  to 
meet  the  exigencies  of  the  future." 

Upon  another  occasion  the  rector  said : 

**  When  we  ask  the  question, '  What  does  the  parish  of 
the  Incarnation  stand  for  in  the  City  of  New  York?' we 
desire  an  answer  that  strikes  the  note  of  Spiritual  Power. 
We  should  lament  the  day,  when  the  popular  estimate 
should  be  that  we  were  a  fashionable  church,  or  an  ex- 
clusive church,  or  an  inhospitable  church,  or  a  church 
that  stood  for  some  one  narrow  party,  high  or  low,  or 
broad;  or  a  sensational  church,  or  an  institutional  church; 
but  we  most  earnestly  pray  that,  by  all  we  do  and  all  we 
are,  we  may  be  more  and  more  respected  and  loved  as  a 
Church  of  earnest  Christian  people,  where  the  pure  word 
of  God  is  preached,  the  sacraments  of  Christ  reverently 
administered,  and  where  all  good  works  abound  in  the 
service  of  men  for  Jesus'  sake." 

One  of  the  most  beautiful  and  useful  of  the  many  me- 
morials which  have  been  recently  placed  within  the  church 
is  the  morning  Chapel  of  the  Nativity,  which  was  given 
by  his  family,  in  memory  of  Mr.  James  M.  Constable. 
This  chapel  occupies  the  north  transept  of  the  church,  a 


l-H    , 

<  § 

O   o 

w 
a 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  209 

sufficient  number  of  pews  having  been  removed  to  pro- 
vide room  for  the  nave,  and  a  chancel  was  constructed 
by  making  an  opening  in  the  east  wall,  to  the  depth  of  ten 
feet.     The  architect  was  Mr.  Henry  Vaughan. 

The  altar  of  carved  stone  rests  upon  four  pillars. 
Above  the  re-table  is  a  white  stone  reredos  richly  orna- 
mented; and  in  its  center  entablature,  in  high  relief,  is  a 
representation  of  the  Last  Supper. 

The  gallery  above  the  pews  in  the  transept  was  not 
removed,  and  it  serves  as  the  ceiling  of  the  chapel.  Its 
front  is  enriched  by  carved  woodwork,  and  by  five  statues 
each  under  a  canopy.  Stained  glass  of  artistic  merit 
replaced  the  windows  formerly  in  the  transept.  The 
designs  in  them  illustrate  the  Annunciation  to  the  Virgin 
Mary,  the  Annunciation  to  the  shepherds,  the  Adoration 
of  the  shepherds,  and  the  Revelation  to  the  world  of  the 
wonderful  birth. 

A  bronze  tablet  bears  the  inscription: 

To  the  Glory  of  God  and  in  loving  memory  of 

JAMES  M.  CONSTABLE. 

1812-1900. 

This  chapel  is  erected  by  his  children. 

"The  path  of  the  just  is  as  the  shining  light,  that 

shineth  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day." 

This  Chapel  of  the  Nativity  was  formally  dedicated  by 
the  rector,  on  All  Saints'  Day,  1903,  and  since  that  time 
has  been  in  constant  use  for  the  early  celebration  of  the 
Lord's  Supper  each  Sunday,  and  for  week-day  prayers 
and  ceremonies,  where  attendance  is  expected  to  be  limit- 
ed.    The  seating  capacity  of  the  chapel  is  about  thirty. 

When  informed  of  the  intention  of  the  family  to  make 
this  beautiful  gift  to  the  church,  the  vestry  expressed 
their  sincere  gratification,  and  most  cordially  received  the 


210         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

gift  "as  a  testimonial  to  the  character  and  services  of  one 
whom  they  honored,  and  who  for  so  many  years  was 
identified  with  the  life  of  the  parish." 

Memorial  gifts  continued  to  beautify  the  church,  and 
among  them  at  this  period  we  would  mention  the  double 
door  of  antique  quartered  oak,  with  ornamental  hinges 
and  bronze  tracery  exquisite  in  designs,  placed  in  the 
southeast  corner  of  the  church,  in  memory  of  Carlisle 
Norwood  (1812-1892),  for  fifteen  years  avestryman  of 
this  church;  and  of  his  wife,  Louisa  J.Norwood  (1816- 
1891). 

The  arch  above  the  stile,  within  the  frame  of  the  doors, 
contains  a  transom  of  mosaic  glass,  the  leaded  work  on 
which  is  in  keeping  with  the  bronze  work  on  the  doors. 

A  brass  book-rest,  upon  the  Communion  Table,  bears 
the  inscription:  "To  the  glory  of  God  and  in  loving 
memory  of  John  L.  Lamson,  January  6,  1858 — April  6, 
1897." 

The  communion  service  of  the  church  has  been  enriched 
by  a  gift  from  Mrs.  John  O'Brien  of  two  silver  chalices, 
in  memory  of  the  late  Samuel  R.  Poindexter. 

On  April  17th,  1903,  the  bishop  of  the  diocese  dedicated 
the  Arthur  Brooks  parish  house,  assisted  by  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Huntington  of  Grace  Church,  and  the  Rev.  John  Cotton 
Brooks  of  Christ  Church,  Springfield,  Massachusetts. 
The  erection  of  this  building  as  a  memorial  to  a  former 
rector  of  the  parish  was  the  occasion  of  special  gifts  in 
memory  of  deceased  parishioners. 

Mrs.  CoUard,  who  had  already  contributed  generously 
to  the  fund  for  building,  furnished  the  large  Sunday- 
school  room,  which  is  the  principal  feature  of  the  parish 
house,  and  also  gave  a  two-manual  organ,  both  of  these 
gifts  being  in  memory  of  Mr.  George  W.  Smith. 


CHAPEL  OF  THE  NATIVITY 

Altar  and  reredos 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  211 

The  library  in  the  parish  house,  by  gift  of  the  Misses 
Stokes,  is  in  memory  of  the  late  Bishop  Brooks;  and  the 
girls'  club-room  is  dedicated  to  the  memory  of  Mrs. 
Kohlsaat. 

Mrs.  Whitelaw  Reid  completely  equipped  the  office 
for  the  use  of  the  parish  physician  and  trained  nurse;  and 
also  endowed  the  salary  of  each.  Both  of  these  were 
gifts  in  memory  of  Mrs.  D.  O.  Mills. 

The  gymnasium,  complete  in  all  its  appointments,  was 
dedicated  to  the  memory  of  Rev.  Horace  C.  Hooker,  a 
curate  at  the  church,  and  an  assistant  at  the  chapel,  who 
in  the  short  space  of  time  that  he  was  connected  with  the 
parish  had  greatly  endeared  himself  to  all  who  had  come 
under  his  instruction. 

An  enlarged  photograph,  an  excellent  likeness  of  Dr. 
Brooks,  the  gift  of  his  widow,  is  prominent  on  the  wall  of 
the  Sunday-school  room. 

A  day  full  of  happy  auguries  for  the  future  of  the  parish 
was  Wednesday,  December  7th,  1904,  when  the  beautiful 
Alfred  Corning  Clark  Memorial  Chapel  in  East  Thirty- 
first  Street  was  by  the  bishop  of  the  diocese  consecrated 
to  the  glory  of  God.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Grosvenor  and 
the  assistant  ministers  of  the  parish  were  present, 
together  with  the  Rev.  Dr.  Huntington,  rector  of  Grace 
Church. 

The  sermon  was  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Chauncey  B.  Brew- 
ster, D.D.,  Bishop  of  Connecticut,  formerly  rector  of 
Grace  Church,  Brooklyn,  under  whom  Dr.  Grosvenor  had 
served  as  curate. 

The  text  was  Ephesians  H.  22,  **In  whom  ye  also  are 
builded  together  for  a  habitation  of  *God  in  the  spirit.* " 
The  bishop  said: 


212         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

To  the  Wardens  and  Vestrymen  of  the  Parish  of  the 
Incarnation,  to  the  Clergy  and  to  all  the  Parishioners 
I  beg  to  express  my  congratulations  upon  this  stately 
church  and  this  pile  of  buildings.  In  no  other  part  of 
his  work  has  my  dear  brother,  the  rector,  taken  I  know 
a  more  earnest  interest.  From  my  heart  I  con- 
gratulate him  upon  this  which  is  the  crowning  of  his 
work  during  these  years.  These  buildings  were  not 
reared  in  a  day.  The  service  of  today  is  the  con- 
summation of  long  patience,  of  hope  and  endeavor, 
long  thought  and  labor  of  love. 

Thankful  also  may  he  well  be  whose  privilege  it  is  to 
have  builded  this  church,  and  this  day  to  make  it  an 
oflFering  unto  God.  Of  the  munificence  of  this  gift 
it  is  not  necessary  that  I  speak.  It  speaks  for  itself. 
But  what  worthier  memorial  could  filial  affection 
rear  than  this  house  which  shall  stand  in  the  time 
to  come  as  a  second  home  for  the  sons  of  men! 

This  house  now  consecrated,  is  moreover  a  sign  and 
a  means.  It  is  an  outward  and  visible  sign.  The 
outward  fabric  of  this  building  is  the  type  of  a  spir- 
itual building — humanity  as  the  temple  of  God. 
It  is,  furthermore,  to  be  a  means  of  the  upbuilding  of 
manhood  and  of  womanhood  into  a  habitation  of 
God  in  the  Spirit.  We  miss  the  very  purpose  of 
Christianity  and  the  Church  if  we  forget  this  spir- 
itual process  of  building. 

This  process  of  building  the  apostle  describes.  As 
his  vision  takes  shape,  we  see  that  the  process  does 
not  stop  with  the  individual.  It  is  a  social  process. 
It  is  a  building  together.  Very  important  is  that 
word  "together."  Essential  to  Christianity  is  the 
social  idea.  The  purpose  of  our  Lord  when  he  came 
into  the  world  was  not  to  save  men  as  separate  in- 
dividuals. The  ideal  end  of  Christian  aims  and 
methods  is  not  the  individual  Christian  by  himself 
alone,  no  matter  how  good  he  may  be.  Nor  is  the 
ideal  of  Christianity  an  association  of  persons  in  what 


THE  ARTHUR  BROOKS  PARISH  HOUSE  AND  THE  CHAPEL 
OF  THE  INCARNATION 

(Alfred  Corning  Clark  Memorial,   1904) 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  213 

would  be  a  mere  aggregation  of  individuals.  The 
ideal  is  no  such  "heap  of  stones."  The  stones  are 
built  up  into  the  compact  structure  of  a  temple,  in 
fulfillment  of  those  divine  words,  "I  will  build  my 
church."  Into  this  temple  men,  as  living  stones,  are 
built,  and,  as  the  apostle  says,  "are  builded  together." 
That  building  together  cannot  rightly  be  eliminated 
from  the  conception  of  the  Church.  It  is  impossible 
to  overestimate  the  importance  of  the  social  aspect 
of  Christianity. 

Having  shown  that  the  social  movements  of  the  day 
were  to  a  large  degree  merely  external,  the  bishop  turned 
to  consider  the  Christian  idea  of  socialism. 

The  Church  of  Jesus  Christ,  because  it  is  the 
school  of  personality,  is  a  school  of  brotherhood. 
May  this  Chapel  stand  not  for  caste,  separation  of 
man  from  man;  else  it  had  been  better  that  not  one 
stone  had  been  laid  upon  another!  May  it  stand  for 
brotherhood!  May  it  stand  in  witness  of  those 
"mighty  truths  that  make  us  men,"  and  that  do  not 
divide  but  unite.?  May  it  stand  in  witness  of  the 
large  fellowship  that  binds  man  to  man  and  class 
to  class,  "in  the  Spirit!" 

Here  the  children  of  men  in  that  one  Spirit  are  to  be 
baptized  into  the  household  of  God.  Here  the  bap- 
tized are  to  be  sealed  in  that  Holy  Spirit.  Here  the 
love  of  God  shall  be  shed  abroad  in  their  hearts 
through  the  Holy  Ghost  which  was  given  unto  them. 
He  is  the  Spirit  in  our  hearts  crying:  "Abba,  Father," 
crying  also  "my  brother,  my  sister."  Here  men  are 
to  pray;  "Our  Father,"  .  .  .  (not  give  me, 
but  give  us  our  daily  bread) ."  Here  they  are  to  gather 
about  the  Father's  table  for  Holy  Communion,  a 
sharing  in  common,  which  in  uniting  them  to  God, 
unites  them  to  each  other,  and  to  the  blessed  company 
of  all  faithful  people,  on  earth  and  in  Paradise,  and  so 
realize  fellowship  with  God  in  human  brotherhood. 


214         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Thus  we  see  that  this  building  has  been  this  day 
consecrated  to  the  worship  of  God,  as  type  of  a 
Church  which  is  the  worshippers  themselves;  con- 
secrated as  His  dwelling  place  in  order  that  men 
may  be  a  habitation  of  God,  consecrated  as  means  to 
the  great  end:  that  men  may  be  built  up  in  Christ 
and  builded  together  in  His  Spirit." 

At  the  evening  service  in  the  new  chapel  Bishop  Potter 
was  the  preacher. 

His  theme  was  the  sacredness  of  the  temple  of  God,  and 
he  based  his  address  upon  the  incident  described  in  the 
gospel  of  the  morning;  namely  Jesus  driving  the  money 
changers  from  the  temple  in  Jerusalem. 

The  bishop  explained  that  those  who  took  part  in  the 
temple  worship  must  needs  provide  themselves  with 
Jewish  money  in  order  to  buy  the  required  oflfering,  a 
dove,  or  a  sheep,  or  an  ox.  It  would  be  a  great  conven- 
ience for  foreigners,  to  get  money  changed  in  the  court 
of  the  temple,  and  to  buy  their  sacrificial  offerings  there 
as  well.  And  so  it  came  about  that  these  changers  of 
money,  and  those  that  dealt  in  sheep,  oxen  and  turtle 
doves  were  there.  They  came  in  answer  to  a  call  that 
was  very  real;  and  the  convenience  of  the  supply  of  which 
at  the  door  of  the  temple  was  equally  real.  But  Jesus 
says, '  'Little  by  little,  you  people,  who  have  come  here  to 
serve  the  conveniences  of  those  who  offer  sacrifices  in 
the  temple,  have  taken  up  the  whole  of  this  space  which 
was  meant  for  the  man  or  the  woman  or  the  child 
(whatever  their  religion)  who  wanted  to  get  nearer  to 
God;  and  you  come  here  in  a  purely  trading  spirit." 

"Now,  when  you  realize  that  these  men  were  profaning 
God's  house,  then  you  can  understand  the  meaning  of 
the  service  which  took  place  this  morning.  It  begins 
with  the  reading  of  the  instrument  of  Donation,  by  which 


c 

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THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  215 

the  person  who  built  this  beautiful  and  noble  building 
surrendered  it.  It  does  not  belong  to  him  any  more;  it 
does  not  belong  to  you;  it  does  not  belong  to  me.  If  I 
wanted  to  take  it  and  use  it  for  some  purpose  which  I 
thought  would  be  profitable,  but  which  was  secular, 
earthly,  worldly,  commercial,  I  could  not  do  it.  The 
rector  could  not  do  it;  the  vicar  could  not  do  it.  There 
might  come  a  time,  when  it  would  be  thought  convenient 
to  have  a  row  of  stalls  along  the  walls  of  the  church,  where 
things  could  be  bought  and  sold,  and  where  people  could 
do  their  marketing  while  at  church.  Why  can't  you 
have  a  concert  in  the  church,  and  sell  tickets  at  the  door? 
Did  you  know  that  you  could  not  do  that?  No!  You 
cannot  make  money  out  of  the  church  after  it  is  conse- 
crated.    I  will  tell  you  why. 

"It  is  hard  enough  for  you  and  for  me  to  keep  long  in 
our  minds  a  religious  thought,  or  purpose,  or  idea;  and 
that  is  one  reason  why  we  build  churches.  This  church 
does  not  look  like  a  music  hall;  or  a  restaurant;  or  a 
theatre.  You  and  I  may  use  some  of  these  things,  and 
find  great  convenience  in  them.  Did  it  ever  occur  to  you 
that  the  fact  that  the  building  looks  like  a  church  is  very 
important?  so  that  the  moment  you  come  inside  its  walls 
you  are  straightway  in  an  atmosphere  that  is  entirely 
unlike  what  you  are  used  to?  Now  the  ceremony  of 
consecration  this  morning  means  that  we  are  going  to 
keep  this  building  for  this  one  use,  the  worship  of  God. 
And  that  is  what  Jesus  meant  when  he  made  a  whip  of 
cords  and  overthrew  the  tables  of  the  money-changers, 
and  drove  out  them  that  sold  doves  and  sheep  and  oxen, 
and  said  those  stinging  words :  *  Ye  have  made  this  House 
of  Prayer  a  den  of  thieves.' 

"When  Jesus  had  cleansed  the  temple  He  did  not  bum 


816        THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

it;  He  went  back  to  it.  He  taught  in  it.  My  dear 
brothers,  that  is  the  greatest  consolation  that  could 
possibly  come  to  you  and  to  me.  'Know  ye  not  that 
your  bodies  are  the  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost?'  Is  there 
any  temple  under  God's  sky  tonight  that  the  Divine 
Father  is  looking  down  upon,  with  such  infinite  love  and 
tenderness,  as  upon  these  human  temples  of  ours,  these 
bodies  in  which  our  souls  live?  What  does  He  want  to 
do  with  them?  to  destroy  them?  No!  He  wants  to 
make  them  clean,  first; — to  purify  them  to  drive  out  the 
sordid  and  mercenary  spirit;  and  then  He  wants  to  come 
back  and  show  in  them,  that  the  power  of  His  spirit  is 
all-pervading;  in  one  word,  to  redeem  them;  and  when 
you  have  got  hold  of  that  truth,  you  have  got  hold  of 
the  truth  and  the  meaning  of  religion. 

"The  first  thing  Christ  teaches  you  and  me,  my  broth- 
er, my  sister,  about  ourselves,  is,  that  men  and  women 
are  redeemable  quantities;  and  that,  just  as  the  temple 
could  be  cleansed,  so  the  human  heart  can  be  cleansed; 
and  just  as  the  temple  could  be  redeemed  for  divine  uses, 
so  may  you  and  I  be  redeemed." 

In  January,  1899,  the  constitution  and  by-laws  of  the 
Association  for  the  Home  Mission  of  the  Church  of  the 
Incarnation  adopted  in  1858,  were  so  amended  as  to 
give  wider  scope  for  its  operation,  and  enable  it  to  meet 
the  ever  increasing  wants  of  the  mission.  The  object 
of  the  change  was  then  stated  to  be  "to  make  proper 
provision  for  the  wants  of  all  such  missionary  or  charita- 
ble enterprises  within  the  city  of  New  York  as  may  be 
approved,  or  adopted  by,  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation 
or  this  Association,  and  which  shall  not  be  within  the 
specific  jurisdiction  of  some  other  organization  of  the 
parish."     At  its  annual  meeting  on  January  8th,  1904, 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  217 

by  resolution,  the  Association  for  the  Home  Mission  of 
the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  which  had  existed  for 
forty-six  years,  as  an  autonomous  body,  was  dissolved, 
and  further  control  of  its  affairs  was  left  to  the  Board  of 
Managers. 

The  home  at  Mohegan  having  proven  both  attractive 
and  beneficial  for  summer  work,  and  having  served  the 
purpose  of  a  temporary  convalescent  camp  for  soldiers,  up- 
on the  suggestion  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Biller  it  was  determined 
to  try  the  experiment  of  making  the  place  a  winter,  as 
well  as  a  summer  health-resort,  by  keeping  the  house 
open  for  convalescents  connected  with  the  chapel,  who 
especially  required  rest,  wholesome  food  and  fresh  air. 
The  home  for  convalescents  was  opened  experimentally 
on  December  11th,  1906,  and  closed  in  June  of  the  year 
following.  Two  hundred  patients  were  cared  for  during 
that  time,  and  the  undertaking,  which  has  been  carried  on 
each  year,  has  proven  entirely  satisfactory,  and  has  been 
the  means  of  restoring  many  of  its  beneficiaries  to  a  better 
state  of  health. 

The  climatic  conditions  of  Mohegan  are  most  favorable 
for  this  work,  and  the  children  thoroughly  enjoy  the 
snow  and  winter  sports;  whilst  for  older  patients  the 
piazza  and  sitting-room  afford  opportunity  for  rest. 
The  novel  experience  to  city  children  of  a  winter  in  the 
country,  and  the  many  lessons  of  resurrection  which  the 
early  springtime  teaches  them,  are  not  the  least  of  the 
many  benefits  of  this  Convalescent  Home. 

The  origin  of  the  Church  Periodical  Club  and  the  work 
accomplished  by  it  has  been  described  on  page  161. 

Mrs.  Clinton  Ogilvie,  during  Dr.  Brooks'  rectorship, 
was  one  of  the  efficient  workers  in  connection  with  the 
Church  Periodical  Club  branch  in  this  parish.     After  the 


218        THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

death  of  her  friend  and  rector,  Mrs.  Ogilvie  put  into  ex- 
ecution a  most  effective  plan  for  supplying  clergymen  in 
the  mission  field  with  good  and  standard  books.  In  1908 
she  founded  and  endowed  "  The  Arthur  Brooks  Memorial 
Library."  This  is  a  missionary  circulating  library,  the 
object  of  which,  as  stated  by  the  founder,  is  "to  send  a 
collection  of  books  containing  the  latest  religious  and 
intellectual  thought  to  the  isolated  clergy  in  our  missionary 
districts."  Three  hundred  volumes  are  now  in  circula- 
tion, in  Utah,  Western  Colorado,  Nevada,  Wyoming  and 
South  Dakota.  The  founder  of  the  library  thus  explains 
her  motive  in  so  doing. 

"In  the  vast  regions  of  the  far  west,  where  strong 
foundations  of  our  Church  are  being  laid,  the  clergyman 
ministers  to  men  of  many  creeds,  and  to  men  of  no  creed. 
There,  we  are  told,  he  finds  mingled  together  miners  and 
ranches,  Indians  and  cowboys,  farmers  from  the  East 
and  men  in  search  of  business  openings,  women  and  little 
children  of  every  type.  A  selection  of  such  books  as  will 
aid  our  missionaries  to  meet  these  varied  needs  requires 
both  critical  judgment  and  psychological  insight.  Priests 
in  isolated  stations,  where  the  Gospel  of  Christ  is  sorely 
needed,  have  used  the  Arthur  Brooks  Memorial  Library 
as  a  means  of  stimulating  the  spiritual  life  of  their  people, 
while  it  has,  also,  in  journeying  from  place  to  place, 
proved  its  value  as  a  link  between  our  missionary  clergy." 
The  endowment  fund  of  the  parish  begun  by  Dr.  Brooks 
in  1888,  has  been  increased  during  the  sixteen  years  of 
Dr.  Grosvenor's  rectorship  from  about  $20,000  to  $317,- 
530,  and  is  appropriated  to  six  specific  objects,  as  fully 
stated  in  the  appendix.  During  his  rectorship  contribu- 
tions for  church  work  at  home  and  abroad  have  largely 
exceeded  those  of  former  years,  and  the  missionary  spirit 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  219 

with  which  the  parish  was  early  imbued  has  steadily 
grown. 

In  the  vestry  room  of  the  church  are  oil  portraits  of  the 
four  rectors  whose  ministry  has  covered  the  sixty  years* 
existence  of  the  parish. 

The  portrait  of  the  Rev.  Edwin  Harwood,  the  first 
rector,  whose  term  of  service  was  shortened  by  illness, 
is  a  copy  by  Prof.  Weir  of  Yale  University.  The  original 
portrait  hung  for  many  years  in  the  dining-room  of 
Bishop  Williams  at  Middletown,  Connecticut. 

The  second  rector,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Montgomery,  served 
from  1855  until  his  decease,  October  24th,  1874.  His 
portrait,  painted  by  Julian  Story,  is  a  gift  to  the  parish 
from  Mr.  Woodbury  G.  Langdon. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Arthur  Brooks,  third  rector,  was  the 
incumbent  from  April,  1875,  until  his  death,  July  10th, 
1895.  His  portrait  is  by  William  M.  Chase,  and  was 
presented  to  the  church  by  Mrs.  Alfred  Corning  Clark. 

The  fourth  portrait  is  that  of  the  Very  Rev.  William 
M.  Grosvenor,  D.D.,  painted  upon  his  resignation  to  be- 
come Dean  of  the  Cathedral  of  St.  John  the  Divine.  Dr. 
Grosvenor  was  rector  from  November  1st,  1895,  until 
October,  1911.  The  portrait  is  by  S.  Seymour  Thomas, 
and  is  a  gift  to  the  parish  from  Mrs.  Clinton  Ogilvie. 

During  the  years  that  the  parish  church  had  been 
making  quiet  and  steady  progress  in  many  directions,  the 
energetic  vicars  at  the  chapel  were  pushing  on  the  work 
assigned  to  them,  nobly  aided  by  the  men  and  women  of 
the  parish  who  had  always  given  liberally  of  time,  money 
and  talent,  from  the  day  of  the  inception  of  the  mission  in 
1859. 

In  starting  this  mission  fifty  years  ago,  Dr.  Mont- 
gomery was  convinced  that  a  work  begun  there,   in  faith 


220        THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

and  love,  would  be  the  means  of  shaping  the  characters  of 
the  young  in  ways  of  morality  and  godliness.  Today  it  may 
be  truthfully  said  that  the  neighborhood  has  continued 
to  feel  the  influence  of  the  mission  for  many  past  years, 
as  manifested  by  the  quietness  of  the  streets,  and  the 
orderly  conduct  of  its  dwellers,  as  well  as  by  the  respect 
which  is  paid  by  old  and  young  to  the  clergy  and  the 
lay  workers  at  the  chapel. 

Many  of  the  organizations  which  have  been  mentioned 
under  former  rectors  have  continued.  Others  have  been 
added  as  circumstances  required. 

The  Girls'  Friendly  Society,  which  was  organized  in 
1886  and  later  dissolved,  was  re-organized  January  31st, 
1901,  under  supervision  of  Miss  Elizabeth  T.  Agnew, 
branch  secretary.  In  1908  Miss  Florence  K.  Cheney 
succeeded  her.  The  former  classes  were  re-established 
and  others  added,  so  that  at  the  present  time  the  educa- 
tional work  is  being  especially  cared  for.  Great  interest 
is  manifested  by  the  girls  in  the  missionary  work  of 
Miss  Laura  Bassett  and  her  associate,  Miss  Isabel 
Wagner,  who  are  working  in  the  mountain  district  of 
Tennessee. 

Miss  Bassett  is  a  daughter  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  J.  S.  Bassett 
of  the  parish  church,  and  was  a  teacher  in  the  mission 
Sunday-school.  Miss  Wagner  was  for  many  years  a 
pupil  and  a  teacher  in  the  school  and  a  member  of  the 
Girls'  Friendly  Society. 

From  the  foundation  of  the  parish  the  Sunday-schools 
of  both  church  and  mission  have  had  the  unceasing  sup- 
port of  the  several  rectors,  aided  by  the  young  men  and 
women  of  the  parish.  The  school  at  the  chapel  has 
always  had  more  children  in  attendance  than  could  be 
regularly  provided  with  teachers. 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  221 

When  Mr.  Biller  became  the  vicar  he  devoted  him- 
self immediately  to  reorganizing  the  system  of  instruction, 
and  subsequently  with  the  assistance  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Cook 
the  school  was  put  on  a  par  with  others  of  the  city.  As 
now  arranged  the  school  is  divided  into  three  departments 
each  occupying  a  floor  of  the  parish  house.  The  primary 
department  is  under  charge  of  Mrs.  E.  M.  H.  Knapp,  the 
intermediate  under  the  Assistant  Minister  and  the 
main  school  under  the  vicar.  In  this  department  the 
basis  of  instruction,  for  two  years,  is  the  life  of  Christ; 
the  third  year  is  devoted  to  the  study  of  the  prayer-book, 
its  history  and  its  practical  use.  Regular  examinations 
are  held  and  awards  given  for  excellence. 

The  parish  sustained  a  severe  loss  in  the  death  of  its 
senior  warden,  Mr.  John  L.  Riker,  who  had  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  vestry  since  1873  and  warden  since  1899.  In 
appreciation  of  his  many  and  faithful  services,  his  gen- 
erous gifts  to  the  parish,  his  personal  character  and 
admirable  example,  his  associates  in  the  vestry  esteemed 
it  a  duty  and  a  privilege  to  record  their  estimate  of  his 
character  as  a  high-minded  merchant  and  a  consistent 
churchman.     Mr.  Riker  died  in  1909. 

In  1909  title  was  taken  to  the  house  No.  236  East 
Thirty-first  Street,  west  of  the  chapel,  which  had  been 
purchased  for  the  sum  of  $23,000.  This  house  was  given 
by  Mr.  James  McLean  to  be  used  as  a  residence  for  the 
vicar  and  the  clerical  staff  of  the  chapel. 

During  the  summer  of  1911  the  aisles  of  the  church 
were  laid  in  mosaic  tiling,  the  gift  of  Mr.  Charles  Lanier, 
who  had  also  provided  the  electric  lighting  of  the  chancel 
arch.  The  same  year  Mr.  James  McLean  provided  the 
cushions  for  the  pews  of  the  church  and  added  to 
his  other  gifts  to  the  mission  a  drinking  fountain  for 


222        THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

horses,  which  was  placed  in  front  of  the  parish  house  in 
East  Thirty-first  Street. 

In  a  work  so  comprehensive  as  this  it  is  impossible  to 
dwell  at  length  upon  any  one  feature  of  parish  work, 
excellent  as  they  all  are.  In  viewing  the  whole  field  at 
the  close  of  sixty  years'  activity,  it  must  suffice  to  give  the 
names  of  the  different  organizations  in  both  church  and 
chapel.  It  can  be  said  with  great  satisfaction  that  every 
practical  form  of  education  and  amusement  has  been 
provided  for  all  classes,  from  the  babes  of  the  nursery  to 
the  older  men  and  women  of  the  parish. 

The  Woman's  Auxiliary,  under  which  are  grouped  the 
several  parish  societies,  has  for  its  honorary  president 
Mrs.  I.  T.  Williams.  Mrs.  George  L.  Cheney  is  its 
active  president.  Miss  Caroline  T.  Lawrence  is  treas- 
urer, and  Mrs.  John  T.  Ijams,  secretary.  Five  of  the 
older  organizations  of  the  parish  are  still  actively  at  work 
as  its  sub-committees,  each  having  its  own  chairman. 
These  are: 

The  Ladies'  Missionary  Society,  organized  1855,  for 
Domestic  Missions,  of  which  Mrs.  I.  T.  Williams  is 
chairman. 

The  Niobrara  League,  organized  1883,  for  Indian 
Missions,  Miss  M.  E.  Watson,  chairman. 

The  St.  Augustine  League,  organized  by  Bishop 
Potter  and  Bishop  Dudley  in  1884,  for  Colored  Mis- 
sions, Mrs.  George  L.  Cheney,  chairman. 

The  Montgomery  Memorial  Society,  organized 
1874,  for  Mexican  Missions,  Mrs.  Woodbury  G. 
Langdon,  chairman. 

Ladies'  Committee  on  Foreign  Work  (1876),  Miss 
Sarah  L.  Horn,  chairman. 

The  other  organizations  are: 

The  Ladies'  Employment  Society  (1856) 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  223 

The  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Home  Missions 
(1858) 
The  St.  Luke's  Association  (1859) 
The  Summer  Home  Committee  (1886) 
The  Archdeaconry  Committee  (1896) 
The  Comfort  Club  (1902) 
The  Junior  Auxiliary  (1903) 
The  Men's  Parish  Association  (1908) 
The  Church  Periodical  Club 

Scholarships  are  maintained  by  these  several  commit- 
tees in  both  the  foreign  and  domestic  field. 

The  Committee  on  Foreign  work  supports : 

The  Arthur  Brooks  scholarship  in  St.  Mary's  School, 
Shanghai,  and  The  Mary  H.  Trotter  Scholarship  in 
St.  Hilda's  School,  Wuchang,  China. 

The  Niobrara  League  maintains: 

The  Arthur  Brooks  scholarship,  and 

The  William  M.  Grosvenor  scholarship,  both  in  St. 
Elizabeth's  Indian  School,  Standing  Rock  Reservation, 
South  Dakota. 

By  individual  contributions  the  following  scholarships 
are  provided  under  the  auspices  of  the  same  League: 

The  Theodore  Crane  Andrews  scholarship  is  established 
by  contribution  of  Mrs.  W.  L.  Andrews. 

The  Olivia  Hawks  Bogert  and  the  Rev.  F.  H.  Hawks 
scholarships  are  sustained  by  Mrs.  E.  C.  Bogert. 

The  All  Saints  Scholarship  and 

The  William  Lewis  Morris  scholarship  are  supported 
by  contributions  from  Mrs.  George  Cabot  Ward. 

The  Grace  M.  Lane  scholarship  is  in  St.  Mary's  School, 
Rosebud  Agency,  South  Dakota. 

The  Charles  Easton  scholarship  is  endowed  by  Mrs. 
Edward  Fuller. 

The  St.  Augustine  League  provides  scholarships  for- 


224        THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

colored  people  in  Payne  Divinity  School,  at  Petersburg, 
Va.,  in  memory  of  Mrs.  John  L.  Riker,  by  the  gifts  of 
Mrs.  J.  Howe  Proctor  and  Mrs.  Amy  Haskell;  and  one  in 
St.  Augustine's  School,  Raleigh,  N.  C.,by  contribution  of 
Mrs.  George  L.  Cheney. 

The  "L.  S.  H.  "Scholarship  is  in  Archdeacon  Spurr's 
School,  Moundsville,  West  Virginia. 

The  parish  Sunday-school  in  1882  established  in  Cape 
Mount,  Africa,  a  scholarship  in  memory  of  its  former 
superintendent,  Mr.  George  N.  Hale. 

This  school  is  now  supporting  two  scholarships: 

"The  Henry  E.  Montgomery"  scholarship  in  the  pre- 
paratory school  of  St.  John's  University,  Shanghai;  and 

"The  Arthur  Brooks"  scholarship  in  St.  Augustine's 
School,  Raleigh,  N.  C. 

The  Montgomery  Memorial  Society  (of  which  Mrs. 
Woodbury  G.  Langdon,  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Montgomery,  is 
president)  has  from  the  first  year  of  its  organization  con- 
tributed to  the  support  of  Mrs.  Hooker's  School,  in 
Mexico.  ' 

"The  generous  contributions  to  the  work  of  this  society 
give  much  cause  for  gratitude,  and  Dr.  Montgomery's 
earnest  desire  for  the  uplifting  of  the  people  of  Mexico 
bears  lasting  fruit  in  the  faithful  and  continued  effort,  to 
further  that  great  end,  by  this  little  society  organized  by 
him  a  few  weeks  before  his  death  in  1874." 

Mrs.  Edward  Fuller  and  Miss  Easton  contributed 
through  the  vestry  of  the  church  a  suJBficient  sum  of 
money  to  endow  a  bed  in  perpetuity  in  St.  Luke's  Hos- 
pital ;  the  same  to  be  in  memory  of  their  brother  the  late 
Henry  Easton;  and  the  right  of  nominating  beneficiaries 
is  vested  in  the  rector  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation. 

The  church  has  contributed  for  many  years  to  the 


CHURCH  OF  THE  INCARNATION,  1912 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  225 

McAll  Mission  in  France.  This  is  a  non-sectarian 
mission  to  the  working-class  population  in  France.  The 
New  York  Auxiliary  to  this  mission  has  supported  a  large 
building  in  Paris  where  every  night  meetings  are  held 
for  women  and  children,  similar  to  the  work  done  in 
parish  houses  in  this  country.  An  institutional  building, 
the  *' Salle  Republique,"  costing  $100,000,  is  the  gift  of  the 
United  States  to  this  mission  work. 
At  the  chapel  the  Societies  are: 

The  Sewing  Class 

The  Kitchen  Garden  Class  (1878) 

The  Girls'  Friendly  Society  (1886) 

The  Mothers'  Meeting  (1889) 

The  Penny  Provident  Fund  (1889) 

The  King's  Daughters  (1890) 

The  Woman's  Auxiliary  (1899) 

The  Amity  Association  (1891) 

The  Men's  Club  (1904) 

The  Gymnasium  and  Athletic  Association 

The  Choir  Club 

The  Junior  Auxiliary 

The  Medical  Work 

The  Chancel  Guild 

The  Junior  Boys'  Club 

The  Brownies 

The  Communicants'  Brotherhood 

The  Bookbinding  Class 

The  Choir  Carpentry  Class 

The  Helping  Hand 

The  Day  Camp 

Relief  Committee. 

"The  Brownies"  is  the  name  of  a  club  of  young  boys 
under  direction  of  Miss  Helen  McLean,  who  are  in- 
structed in  the  art  of  making  hammered  metal  work. 
Miss  Ethel  McLean  teaches  a  number  of  boys  the  art  of 


226        THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

bookbinding.  The  practical  part  of  their  work  is  shown 
by  their  repairing  the  books  of  the  chapel  and  Sunday- 
school. 

Two  helpful  adjuncts  of  the  chapel  work  are  the  Help- 
ing Hand  under  guidance  of  Mrs.  George  L.  Cheney, 
and  the  Relief  committee  in  charge  of  Miss  Hyde.  Their 
titles  explain  the  object  of  each  in  connection  with  the 
sick. 

In  the  re-organization  of  the  chapel  choir  under  Mr. 
Hedden,  female  voices  were  dispensed  with,  and  there 
was  substituted  a  choir  of  thirty  men  and  boys.  Mr. 
August  H.  Kimmel  is  organist. 

The  first  number  of  "The  Chapel  Leaflet,"  a  monthly 
four-page  paper,  was  issued  in  April,  1883,  for  the  purpose 
of  disseminating  information  concerning  current  work  at 
the  chapel.  It  was  mailed  gratuitously  to  all  members 
of  the  parish  Church,  thus  keeping  contributors  to  the 
mission  and  to  the  Day  Nursery  informed  of  the  progress 
of  the  work  in  general. 

The  character  of  the  paper  has  been  changed  of  late, 
so  that  it  is  now  the  oflficial  weekly  bulletin  of  services 
at  the  chapel  each  Sunday,  and  a  medium  for  announcing 
future  events  to  be  held  in  the  parish  house,  instead  of 
being,  as  originally  established,  a  record  of  the  work  there 
carried  on. 

The  "Parish  Leaflet"  was  issued  in  1891  by  Dr.  Brooks 
for  the  purpose  of  keeping  his  congregation  informed 
concerning  parish  affairs  and  so  continuing  their  interest 
in  the  work  to  which  they  contributed. 

The  "Reconciliation  Cadet  Club"  was  organized  in 
1896  by  Mr.  Henry  G.  D.  de  Meli  with  the  object  of 
infusing  into  the  younger  boys  a  military  spirit  of  order 
and  decorum.      Later  the  name  was  changed  to  the  In- 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  227 

carnation  Cadets.  Mr.  de  Meli  also  took  great  interest 
in  the  Amity  Association  and  instructed  a  Bible  class 
composed  of  its  members.  In  this  communicant  of  the 
parish  we  have  a  connecting  link  with  Grace  Church,  as 
his  great  uncle,  Mr.  Luther  Bradish,  a  warden  of  Grace 
parish,  was  chairman  of  the  committee  appointed  to  ar- 
range with  the  committee  of  the  Incarnation  vestry  for 
the  sale  of  the  Chapel  of  Grace  in  1856. 

For  several  months  a  service  had  been  held  on  Sun- 
day afternoons  at  the  New  York  Skin  and  Cancer 
Hospital  in  East  Thirty-fourth  Street,  by  the  pastor  of 
the  Incarnation  chapel,  aided  by  his  young  people,  as  a 
volunteer  choir.  These  services  were  continued  by  his 
successor  when  the  institution  was  removed  to  the  new 
building  in  Second  Avenue.  Mr.  De  Meli  was  in  charge 
of  these  services  for  about  six  years,  and  was  aided  by 
members  of  the  Amity  Association,  and  others.  Allud- 
ing to  his  interest  in  the  chapel  work,  he  says,"  The  Amity 
stands  out  foremost  among  all  the  work  among  the  men 
with  which  I  was  connected." 

The  Summer  School  was  opened  in  1910,  its  object 
being  to  give  pleasure  and  occupation  for  two  hours  in 
each  day  to  school  children,  during  their  vacation,  who 
would  otherwise  be  on  the  street.  Under  volunteer  teach- 
ers, songs  and  recitations  and  light  manual  work  varied 
by  the  reading  of  Bible  stories,  in  which  the  children 
were  greatly  interested,  occupied  the  time.  More  than 
four  hundred  children  attended  regularly. 

One  of  the  most  beneficial  organizations  of  the  parish 
is  the  Medical  Department.  When  the  Arthur  Brooks 
Parish  House  was  opened,  Mrs.  Whitelaw  Reid  fully 
equipped  two  medical  rooms  with  all  essential  appoint- 
ments of  a  first  class  physicians'  office,  and  also  provided 


228        THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

for  the  salaries  of  a  doctor  and  a  trained  nurse.  The  office 
was  opened  in  1903.  Some  idea  of  the  work  which  has 
been  accomplished  by  visits  of  the  nurse  at  the  homes  of 
the  mission  people,  and  by  visits  of  patients  to  the  doctor's 
office  is  gained  from  the  last  annual  report.  There  were 
1,691  calls  at  the  parish  house  and  1,909  calls  made  out- 
side. The  cases  treated  were  principally  children's 
diseases,  and  also  many  cases  of  pneumonia  and  tuber- 
culosis. 

Mr.  Sheffield  has  contributed  the  following  interesting 
facts  concerning  the  Amity  Association  which  was  organ- 
ized in  the  Fall  of  1891  with  a  dozen  members,  and  in 
September,  1892,  began  its  active  career.  The  club  has 
gained  in  numbers  and  influence  each  year  and  has  been 
a  great  aid  to  the  vicars  of  the  chapel.  Through  the 
first  eleven  years  the  conveniences  for  assembling  and 
the  opportunities  for  amusement  were  very  limited,  and 
its  membership  did  not  exceed  forty  men.  Subse- 
quently, however,  the  club  became  of  influence  in  the 
chapel,  and  a  committee  was  appointed  to  attend  divine 
services  on  Sundays,  as  well  as  on  other  important 
occasions,  to  act  as  ushers  and  to  collect  the  alms,  and  in 
every  way  to  show  their  appreciation  of  the  new  parish 
house,  in  which  regular  quarters  and  a  fine  gymnasium 
had  been  provided  for  their  special  use. 

In  1896  two  free  beds  were  provided  in  the  House  of  the 
Holy  Comforter  in  the  name  of  the  parish,  and  have  been 
sustained  each  year  by  voluntary  contributions.  This 
institution  is  a  free  Church  home  for  incurable  cases 
among  Protestant  women  and  children  who  cannot  be 
received  in  public  hospitals. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  vestry  on  May  8th,  1911,  the  fol- 
lowing letter  from  the  rector  was  read: 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  229 

My  dear  Friends: 

The  Bishop  and  the  Trustees  of  the  Cathedral  of 
St.  John  the  Divine  have  unanimously  elected  me  as 
Dean  of  the  Cathedral.  After  long  hesitation  and 
much  serious  thought  I  have  come  to  feel  that  it  is  my 
duty  to  accept  their  call.  This  involves  what  is  to  me 
a  very  painful  task  of  writing  this  letter  which  is  one  of 
resignation.  For  over  fifteen  years  I  have  received 
nothing  but  kindness,  loyal  support  in  all  my  efforts 
to  build  up  and  maintain  the  parish,  and  the  most 
gracious  and  generous  consideration  from  the  whole 
parish  both  at  the  parish  church,  at  the  chapel  and 
among  the  entire  staff. 

Knowing  the  work  as  I  do  I  think  it  wiser  for  me  to 
set  the  date  of  my  resignation  as  October  1st,  1911. 
I  hope  that  before  that  time  you  can  choose  my 
successor,  for  I  think  it  of  the  utmost  importance 
that  the  work  should  go  straight  on  without  a  break, 
and  that  when  I  leave  the  new  rector  shall  begin  his 
ministry  in  your  midst. 

With  deep  gratitude  to  God  for  all  His  mercies  to 
this  parish  and  with  assurances  of  my  unfailing  in- 
terest and  concern  in  all  its  future  welfare,  I  am. 
Yours  affectionately, 

WM.  M.  GROSVENOR. 

New  York,  May  17th,  1911. 
On  motion  of  Mr.  Stetson,  duly  seconded,  the  following 
minute  was  unanimously  adopted: 

The  vestry  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation  in  the 
City  of  New  York  have  received  with  profound 
regret  the  resignation  of  the  Reverend  William 
Mercer  Grosvenor,  D.D.,  for  more  than  fifteen  years 
their  beloved  and  acceptable  rector. 

The  maintenance  and  the  extension  of  this  church 
under  the  wise  and  devoted  ministry  of  Dr.  Grosvenor 
have  been  indicated  only  partly  in  the  impressive 
statements  published  in  the  year  books,  and  in  his  ser- 
mon on  Advent  Sunday  1910,  upon  the  fifteenth  anni- 


230        THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

versary  of  his  installation.  The  complete  record 
could  be  found  only  in  the  hearts  of  his  people,  who 
during  this  long  period,  have  rejoiced  in  his  unfal- 
tering spiritual  guidance  to  higher  life,  and  in  his 
ever  cherished  personal  association. 

Except  for  his  clearly  expressed  conviction  that  the 
highest  interests  of  the  work,  and  the  Church  of 
Christ  in  this  city  and  country  require  his  acceptance 
of  the  call  to  become  Dean  of  the  Cathedral  of  St. 
John  the  Divine,  it  would  be  impossible  even  to  think 
of  accepting  this  resignation,  which,  under  these  con- 
ditions, has  become  imperative. 

Accordingly,  sorrowing  most  of  all  that  his  con- 
gregation shall  no  more  see  his  face  as  their  rector, 
the  vestry  regretfully  accepts  the  resignation  of  the 
Reverend  Dr.  Grosvenor  as  tendered  by  him, 
assuring  him  of  their  continuing  love,  and  requesting 
his  continued  interest  in  the  parish  to  which  he  has 
given  the  very  best  of  his  thought,  the  inspiration  of 
his  preaching  and  the  fullness  of  his  life. 

In  further  testimony  the  vestry  have  directed  that 
this  minute,  signed  by  every  member,  be  engrossed, 
and  delivered  to  the  Reverend  Doctor  Grosvenor, 
and  that  the  same  be  suitably  published. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  vestry  held  May  22  d,  1911,  the 
following  resolution  was  adopted: 

Resolved:  That  the  Wardens  and  Vestrymen 
of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation  hereby  elect  as 
Rector  the  Rev.  Howard  C.Robbins,  at  present  rector 
of  St.  Paul's  Church,  Englewood,  New  Jersey, 
and  fix  his  annual  salary  at  the  sum  of  Six  Thousand 
Dollars  and  the  use  of  the  rectory. 

In  communicating  the  above  resolution  to  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Robbins,  the  committee  appointed  by  the  vestry 
added  these  words: 

In  extending  you  this  call  we  beg  to  assure  you  of 
our  cordial  and  high  regard  for  you  and  of  the  pledge 


THE  VERY  REVEREND  DEAN  GROSVENOR 

(From  the  Portrait  by  S.  Seymour  Thomas,  1912) 


THE  GROSVENOR  PERIOD  231 

of  our  hearty  support.  It  is  to  us,  as  it  must  be  to 
you,  a  matter  of  gratification  that  your  selection 
commands  the  hearty  approval  of  our  present  rector. 
Dr.  Grosvenor,  whose  call  to  another  and  possibly  a 
larger  field  is  the  sole  occasion  for  the  termination  of 
the  pastoral  relation  which  has  continued  to  the 
satisfaction  of  both  parties  for  more  than  fifteen  years. 
We  are  faithfully  yours, 

Francis  Lynde  Stetson,  Senior  Warden. 
Montgomery  H.  Clarkson, 
Waldron  P.  Brown, 
George  F.  Butterworth. 

The  following  reply  was  shortly  thereafter  received 
from  Mr.  Robbins: 

Messrs.  Francis  Lynde  Stetson, 

Montgomery  H.  Clarkson, 
W.  P.  Brown, 
Geo.  F.  Butterworth. 
Dear  Sirs: 

It  is  with  sincere  happiness,  as  well  as  grateful 
appreciation  of  your  confidence  in  me,  that  I  accept 
your  invitation  to  become  the  rector  of  the  Church 
of  the  Incarnation  in  the  city  of  New  York,  beginning 
my  service  from  the  first  day  of  October,  1911. 

It  is  to  me,  as  to  you,  a  matter  of  hearty  gratifi- 
cation that  the  selection  of  me  commands  the  approval 
of  your  present  rector.  Dr.  Grosvenor,  by  whose  ad- 
ministrations of  fifteen  years  the  parish  has  been  so 
signally  benefited.  I  shall  hope  to  enjoy  fully  his 
advice  and  assistance  in  carrying  on  the  work  which  he 
is  to  relinquish. 

Grateful  to  you  for  your  expressions  of  confidence 
and  promises  of  support,  I  am,  with  high  regard, 
Faithfully  yours, 

June  1st,  1911. 


CHAPTER  VI 
THE  PRESENT  RECTORATE 

THE  Rev.  Howard  C.  Robbins  assumed  charge  of 
the  parish  as  its  fifth  rector  on  October  1st,  1911, 
and  preached  in  the  church  on  the  Sunday 
following.  On  the  first  Sunday  in  Advent,  December 
3d,  being  the  sixteenth  anniversary  of  the  institution  of 
the  former  rector,  the  bishop  of  the  diocese,  the  Rt.  Rev. 
David  H.  Greer,  D.D.,  formally  instituted  Mr.  Robbins 
into  the  rectorship. 

The  rector's  first  greeting  to  his  congregation  appears 
in  full  in  the  year  book  of  the  parish  for  1912.  The  few 
events  which  had  taken  place  since  his  coming  are  fully 
noted,  and  from  that  source  the  following  quotation  is 
made: 

"Since  the  first  of  October,  certain  changes  have 
occurred  which  are  of  importance  to  the  parish  history. 
The  Rev.  Philip  Cook,  after  three  years  of  devoted  ser- 
vices as  vicar  of  the  chapel,  resigned  his  position  in 
order  to  accept  a  rectorship  in  San  Antonio,  Texas;  and 
simultaneously  the  Rev.  Joseph  P.  Robinson  left  in  order 
to  spend  a  year  in  study  abroad.  The  other  members  of 
the  chapel  staff,  Miss  Fitzmaurice,  Miss  Emmons,  Dr. 
Evans,  and  their  coadjutors,  remain,  I  am  happy  to  say, 
in  their  old  places  of  usefulness  and  eflficiency.  It  is  also 
a  great  satisfaction  to  record  that  the  appointment  to 
the  vicarship  has  been  accepted  by  the  Rev.  E.  M.  H. 
Knapp,  formerly  assistant  at  the  parish  church,   who 


/^y^rO^Atf-t^  CA4j>^^x4DL^je^  >2^-^f^^K^ 


THE  PRESENT  RECTORATE  233 

begins  his  work  not  only  with  the  advantage  of  past 
experience  in  it,  but  also  buoyed  up  by  the  confident 
regard  of  the  people  to  whom  he  is  to  minister." 

Mr.  Edwin  Severin  Clark  was  elected  a  member  of 
the  vestry  December  4th,  1911. 

Mr.  Edward  H.  Weatherbee,  who  had  been  a  member 
of  the  vestry  since  1904,  died  February  13th,  1912.  The 
following  minute,  presented  by  Mr.  Stetson,  was  adopted 
at  the  vestry  meeting,  March  8th,  1912: 

"The  vestry  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  in  the 
city  of  New  York,  with  deep  regret  make  this  minute 
of  the  death  on  February  13th,  1912,  of  their  late  as- 
sociate, Edward  H.  Weatherbee,  and  thus  record  their 
sense  of  the  loss  sustained  not  only  by  them  but  by  the 
Church  and  the  community  in  the  death  of  this 
Christian  gentleman,  faithful  and  efficient  in  all  the  re- 
lations of  life,  both  generous  and  modest,  and  at  all 
times  ready  to  respond  to  any  call  for  material  assistance, 
or  for  personal  service  or  sound  and  helpful  advice.  The 
vestry  most  respectfully  extend  their  sympathy  to  the 
family  of  Mr.  Weatherbee,  which  in  three  generations 
has  given  to  the  Church  loyal  and  liberal  support." 

At  this  meeting  Mr.  Gherardi  Davis  was  elected  to 
fill  the  vacancy  in  the  vestry. 

Messrs.  Stetson,  Zabriskie  and  Riker  were  elected  dele- 
gates to  the  diocesan  convention,  and  Messrs.  McKim, 
Ijams  and  Zabriskie  were  appointed  delegates  to  the 
Archdeaconry. 

It  was  the  intention  of  the  rector  and  vestry  to  suitably 
commemorate  the  sixtieth  anniversary  of  the  founding  of 
the  parish.  Arrangements  had  been  perfected  for  a  large 
gathering  of  the  men  of  the  parish  for  a  dinner  at  tne 
Park  Avenue  Hotel.     It  was  thought  to  be  a  fitting 


234         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

commemoration  of  the  work  of  the  past  sixty  years  to 
gather  the  men  of  the  chapel,  which  Dr  Montgomery 
had  founded,  and  who  have  always  been  active  in  its 
many  organizations,  for  reunion  with  the  members  of 
the  vestry  and  the  men  of  the  parish  church,  whose  in- 
terest has  unceasingly  been  manifested  by  liberal  con- 
tributions and  active  service.  Invitations  had  been 
accepted  by  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  guests,  and 
speakers  had  been  selected,  for  the  evening  of  Friday, 
April  19th,  1912. 

On  Sunday,  April  14th,  the  heartrending  tragedy 
occurred  of  the  sinking  of  the  White  Star  steamship  "Ti- 
tanic," following  collision  with  an  iceberg.  Owing  to  the 
terrible  loss  of  life  and  the  consequent  widespread  sorrow 
and  bereavement  of  the  people  of  the  land,  it  was  thought 
eminently  proper  to  repress  all  joyous  demonstrations 
throughout  the  city,  and  accordingly  the  anniversary 
dinner  was  abandoned. 

On  Sunday,  April  21st,  it  was  intended  to  have  an 
historical  sermon  preached  by  the  Very  Reverend  Dean 
Grosvenor,  and  otherwise  to  mark  the  sixtieth  anniver- 
sary by  joyful  music.  This  day,  however,  had  been 
appointed  by  the  bishop  of  the  diocese  as  a  fitting  time 
to  make  special  supplication  to  Almighty  God  in  behalf 
of  the  many  families  and  individuals  who  had  been  be- 
reaved by  the  Titanic  disaster.  Three  of  the  families  in 
the  parish  were  mourning  for  relatives  lost  by  this 
calamity.  The  service  of  the  day  was,  therefore,  of  a 
subdued  character,  in  conformity  with  a  pastoral  letter 
from  the  bishop,  setting  forth  a  special  memorial  service. 
It  was  fitting  that  the  rector  himself  should  be  the  preach- 
er that  day,  and  should  address  to  his  people  words  of 
consolation  and  comfort. 


THE  PRESENT  RECTORATE       235 

On  Sunday,  April  28th,  however,  the  deferred  anniver- 
sary sermon  was  preached  by  Dean  Grosvenor. 

It  is  a  singular  coincidence  that,  for  a  second  time  in 
the  history  of  the  parish,  an  anticipated  occasion  of  joy 
was  turned  into  a  service  of  mourning. 

When  the  church  was  consecrated,  April  20th,  1865, 
that  joyous  service  was  suddenly  transformed  into  an 
occasion  of  lamentation  over  the  tragic  death  of  Presi- 
dent Lincoln. 

In  closing  the  account  of  sixty  years'  work  in  the  par- 
ish, we  fittingly  give  space  to  a  portion  of  the  sermon  of 
the  new  rector  which  was  preached  on  Sunday,  April  21st. 

The  central  thought  of  the  sermon  was  "the  everlasting 
pity  of  God."  The  text  was  from  the  book  of  the 
prophet  Jonah  IV:  11. 

The  little  children  and  the  animals  of  Nineveh  seem 
to  be  singled  out  for  the  divine  tenderness  because  of 
their  weakness,  of  their  ignorance,  and  of  their  de- 
pendence. On  account  of  these  things  God  pities 
them  with  a  deep  and  most  endearing  tenderness. 
It  is  as  though  he  looked  down  from  heaven  upon  a 
crowded  city  suffering  from  intense  and  protracted 
heat,  and  singled  out  for  most  emphatic  sympathy 
the  tiny  children  gasping  for  breath  in  hot  attics,  or 
packed  courtyards,  and  the  horses  staggering  patient- 
ly with  their  heavy  burdens  under  the  noonday  sun. 
If  there  is  one  sight  more  fitted  than  another  to  call 
forth  pity,  it  is  the  sight  of  a  child,  or  any  other  helpless 
thing,  in  agony.  Nature  has  planted  deep  in  every 
normal  man  and  woman  springs  of  compassion,  whose 
flowing  forth  is  the  comfort  of  the  world. 

"And  should  not  I  pity  Nineveh,  that  great  city?" 
Humanity  has  need  of  God's  compassion.  I  say  it 
with  all  reverence :  a  God  who  could  not  find  it  in  his 
heart  to  pity  us,  a  God  ignorant  of  sin,  sickness  and 


236         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

death,  a  God  unmoved  by  suffering,  would  be  a  God 
unworthy  of  our  love.  Do  you  remember  Othello's 
pathetic  exclamation  when  he  permits  himself  to 
doubt  his  innocent  wife?  "The  pity  of  it,  lago,  the 
pity  of  it!"  The  pity  of  it  indeed;  the  pity  of  the 
grim  tragedy  so  needlessly  brought  about,  so  easily 
averted  by  a  little  patience,  a  little  faith.  And  far  be- 
yond the  limits  of  the  play,  the  pity  of  all  human  mis- 
ery. The  pity  of  hunger;  children  crying  for  bread; 
haggard  parents  listening  to  the  cry,  and  with  no  means 
to  still  it .  The  pity  of  sickness ;  the  weary  tossing  from 
side  to  side  through  nights  which  seem  interminable; 
the  tired  watching  of  the  anxious  and  fatigued.  The 
pity  of  such  bereavement  as  shadows  us  today;  val- 
iant, serviceablelivescut  off  in  their  prime;  survivors 
saved  from  the  waste  of  waters  only  to  face  as  widows 
or  as  orphans  the  gray  waste  of  disconsolate  years. 
The  pity  of  war  with  its  ferocious  passions,, 
its  butcheries,  its  mutilations.  The  pity  of  causeless 
separations;  friends  parted  for  life  by  a  hasty  speech 
or  inconsiderate  act.  The  pity  of  passion;  hot- 
blooded  young  lives  led  astray  by  the  seduction  of  the 
senses,  making  awful  shipwreck  of  what  might  have 
been  an  upright  manhood,  a  gracious  and  a  holy 
womanhood.  The  pity  of  all  things  human,  for 
there  are  tears  in  all.  "O  Holy,  blessed  and  glo- 
rious Trinity,  have  mercy  upon  us,  pitiable  sinners!" 
As  we  think  upon  these  things,  so  poignantly 
brought  home  to  mind  and  heart  by  the  disaster  of 
last  Sunday  night,  we  realize  how  far  that  disaster 
is  from  being  a  unique  and  separate  thing  in  human 
experience.  It  is  not  new;  it  does  not  stand  alone; 
it  only  brings  before  us  with  dramatic  suddenness 
and  completeness  the  possibilities  that  are  part  and 
parcel  of  our  general  life.  Loss  is  the  eternal  tragedy 
of  love.  It  hangs  like  a  suspended  sword  over  every 
earthly  happiness.  It  casts  its  shadow  over  the  rap- 
ture of  first  love.   It  makes  the  husband  rejoice  overhis 


THE  PRESENT  RECTORATE       237 

young  wife  with  trembling.  It  drives  the  mother  to 
clutch  her  first  born  child  closer  to  her  breast.  In 
the  eyes  of  those  who  have  become  experienced  in 
sorrow,  the  certainty  of  it  discounts  the  innocence  of 
childhood,  and  the  enthusiasm  of  youth,  and  the 
confident  vigor  of  maturity.  All  these  are  travelling 
pauselessly  toward  the  valley  of  the  shadow,  and  we 
who  prize  them  shall  some  day  stand  by  helplessly 
and  watch  them  disappear.  But  when  the  sword 
has  fallen,  and  the  iron  of  it  has  entered  into  the 
mourner's  soul,  then  to  the  dazed  and  broken  heart 
come  promises  so  intimate,  so  tender,  so  fitted  to 
assuage  its  grief,  that  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  the 
New  Testament  seem  like  glorious  midnight  heav- 
ens, all  studded  with  stars  that  do  not  show  their 
splendors  until  the  sun  has  set.  "Come  unto  me,  all 
ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give 
you  rest."  "Blessed  are  they  that  mourn,  for  they 
shall  be  comforted."  "God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears 
from  their  eyes,  and  there  shall  be  no  more  death, 
neither  sorrow,  nor  crying,  neither  shall  there  be  any 
more  pain."  "Thy  sun  shall  no  more  go  down,  neither 
shall  thy  moon  withdraw  itself,  for  the  Lord  shall  be 
thine  everlasting  light,  and  the  days  of  thy  mourn- 
ing shall  be  ended." 

There  are  two  ways  in  which  a  man  may  reconcile 
himself  to  his  bereavement.  Which  he  will  take 
depends  upon  his  conception  of  God.  If  he  thinks  of 
God  impersonally,  as  law  or  power  or  natural  force 
or  arbitrary  will,  he  will  take  the  way  of  the  fatalist. 
He  will  accept  his  sorrow  with  stoical  resignation,  and 
make  the  best  of  it,  because  there  is  nothing  else  to  do. 
God  is  destiny  to  him,  and  to  quarrel  with  the  course 
of  destiny  is  the  part  of  a  madman  or  a  child.  The 
stars  in  their  courses  have  warred  against  him,  and  he 
has  no  wish  to  prolong  the  unequal  strife.  He  con- 
soles himself  with  the  inevitableness  of  his  loss;  and 
indeed  there  is  truth  as  well  as  beauty  in  the  fine  old 


238         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

German  saying  that  the  inevitable  carries  consola- 
tion in  its  hand.  But  if  the  mourner  thinks  of  God 
personally,  as  his  Creator  and  Father  and  Friend, 
then  he  will  seek  a  very  different  sort  of  consolation; 
he  will  tread  the  path,  not  of  stoical  endurance,  but  of 
childlike  faith  and  trust.  Death  is  robbed  of  its 
sting,  the  grave  of  its  transient  victory,  when  it 
drives  a  soul  back  to  its  Creator  for  its  comfort.  He 
who  believes  may  shelter  himself  in  the  thought  of 
infinite  wisdom,  infinite  tenderness,  infinite  compas- 
sion. He  who  believes  may  fly  for  succour  to  the 
very  Source  of  his  disaster,  and  make  the  secret  place 
of  the  most  High  his  dwelling-place;  the  shadow  of  the 
Almighty  his  habitation.  The  eternal  God  is  his 
refuge,  and  beneath  his  fraility  and  distress  he  feels 
the  support  of  the  everlasting  arms.  "Yea,  though  I 
walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  I  will 
fear  no  evil,  for  thou  art  with  me;  thy  rod  and  thy 
staff  they  comfort  me."  The  reason  the  Psalmist 
could  say  this  beautiful,  triumphant  thing  was  because 
he  believed,  as  you  and  I  may  believe,  in  a  personal 
God.  Trust  in  a  personal  God  is  the  substance  of  all 
religion.  If  one  were  to  gather  up  the  genius  of 
Hebrew  prophecy  into  one  explanatory  phrase,  it 
would  be  this:  that  God  is  personal,  that  He  is 
capable  of  entering  into  personal  relationships 
with  his  people,  and  that  in  such  relationship  He  im- 
parts to  us  his  love,  his  pity,  and  his  peace.  Such  a 
God  invites  the  hearts  of  men.  "O  thou  that  hearest 
prayer,  unto  thee  shall  all  flesh  come." 

"Should  not  I  pity  Nineveh.?"  But  how  can  we  be 
sure?  The  author  of  the  book  of  Jonah  was  sure  be- 
cause he  was  a  prophet,  inspired  to  read  and  to  in- 
terpret the  eternal  Mind.  Nature  did  not  tell  him. 
Philosophy  did  not  tell  him.  His  own  illumined  heart 
told  him.  "Thou  hast  had  pity  on  the  gourd,  for  the 
which  thou  hast  not  labored,  neither  madest  it  grow; 
which  came  up  in  a  night,  and  perished  in  a  night; 


THE  PRESENT  RECTORATE  289 

and  should  not  I  spare  Nineveh,  that  great  city, 
wherein  are  more  than  six  score  thousand  persons  that 
cannot  discern  between  their  right  hand  and  their 
left  hand,  and  also  such  cattle?"  The  prophet  reas- 
oned from  the  pity  in  his  own  heart  to  that  in  the 
heart  of  His  Creator,  and  it  is  a  noble  and  valid 
reasoning.  His  prophetic  insight  assured  him  that  a 
God  who  created  men  and  women  and  little  children 
capable  of  physical  and  mental  anguish  would  not 
be  godlike,  would  indeed  be  less  even  than  human, 
if  he  were  to  view  the  suffering  he  permits  with 
apathy.  His  heart  read  the  riddle  of  the  universe,  and 
read  it  aright.  God  does  pity.  He  knoweth  our 
frame.  He  knows  that  our  light  affliction  is  but  for  a 
moment,  he  knows  that  it  is  salutary  in  its  purposes, 
he  knows  that  it  is  in  our  power  to  become  lastingly 
the  gainers  by  every  pang  bravely  and  patiently  en- 
dured, he  rejoices  when  his  children  show  such  cour- 
age and  forbearance  as  our  brothers  showed  while  fac- 
ing death  last  week;  these  things  are  precious  in  his 
sight.  He  is  working  out  his  own  majestic  plans  in 
the  lives  of  every  one  of  us,  but  while  we,  ignorant  of 
those  plans,  and  blind  to  their  outcome,  cry  out  against 
the  pain  they  cause  us,  the  All  Father  bends  a  listen- 
ing loving  ear,  remembers,  pities,  and  forgives. 


PART  II 

Biographical  sketches 
Appendix 


^:^i<^/7'i^ 


Y^/-/^^ 


^ 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES 
EDWIN  HARWOOD 

The  First  Rector 

Edwin  Harwood,  the  eldest  child  of  Lilburn  Harwood 
and  his  wife,  Sarah  Anne  Pierson,  was  born  in  the  city  of 
Philadelphia  on  August  21st,  1822.  At  the  age  of  fourteen 
years  he  entered  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  and  was 
graduated  in  the  class  of  1840.  Soon  thereafter  he  entered  the 
Theological  Seminary  at  Andover,  Mass.,  with  the  intention  of 
preparing  for  the  Presbyterian  ministry.  Andover  Seminary 
was  at  the  height  of  its  reputation.  The  situation  in  the  relig- 
ious world  at  this  time  was  remarkable.  The  long  battle  with 
the  Tubingen  School  in  Germany  had  begun,  and  echoes  of  the 
strife  had  reached  this  side  of  the  ocean.  In  England  the 
Oxford  movement  had  passed  into  its  final  stages. 

Before  the  end  of  two  years  young  Harwood's  intentions  to 
enter  the  Presbyterian  ministry  had  evaporated,  and,  says  his 
most  intimate  friend.  Dr.  Means,  "it  would  have  been  a  subtle 
mind  that  could  have  detected  in  the  great  broad  churchman 
of  a  later  day  any  vestiges  of  the  former  purpose.  Acting 
upon  his  newly-formed  convictions,  at  the  end  of  the  seminary 
year  of  1842  he  left  Andover,  and  entered  the  General  Theo- 
logical Seminary  in  New  York.  Having  completed  his  course 
in  the  class  of  1844,  he  was  ordained  deacon  on  June  30th,  by 
Bishop  Benjamin  T.  Onderdonk,  in  St.  Thomas'  Church,  New 
York." 

In  August,  1844,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Harwood  was  chosen  to  take 
charge  of  Christ  Church,  Oyster  Bay,  L.  I.,  at  that  time  in  the 
diocese  of  New  York. 

In  the  year  following,  on  October  21st,  1845,  Bishop  De 
Lancey  advanced  him  to  the  priesthood,  in  Christ  Churchy 
Cooperstown,  N.  Y. 


244        THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

St.  Paul's  Church,  Eastchester,  elected  Mr.  Harwood  its 
rector  in  the  spring  of  1846.  This  was  one  of  the  oldest  parishes 
in  the  diocese,  having  been  the  field  of  missionary  labor  since 
1700,  and  had  had  for  one  of  its  earlier  rectors  the  Rev.  Samuel 
Seabury,  later  the  first  Bishop  of  the  American  Church. 

After  remaining  a  year  in  Eastchester  Mr.  Harwood  resigned 
and  on  April  19th,  1847,  entered  upon  the  rectorship  of  St. 
James'  Church,  Hamilton  Square,  New  York  City.  The 
church  was  a  plain  wooden  structure  and  many  of  the  members 
of  his  congregation  were  owners  of  country-seats  on  the  banks 
of  the  East  River,  above  and  below  Hell  Gate.  Mr.  Harwood 
remained  for  three  years,  and  upon  his  resignation  in  October 
was  invited,  November  25th,  1850,  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Taylor, 
rector  of  Grace  Church,  to  become  assistant  in  the  parish,  and 
was  assigned  to  the  charge  of  its  recently  organized  mission 
work  in  the  chapel,  at  Madison  Avenue  and  Twenty-eighth 
Street. 

In  1852  when  the  new  parish  of  the  Incarnation,  New  York, 
was  organized  Mr.  Harwood  became  its  rector,  and  so  contin- 
ued until  his  resignation  in  October,  1854.  After  his  return 
from  Europe  he  was  appointed  by  Bishop  Williams  to  fill  the 
chair  of  the  Interpretation  of  New  Testament  Scripture,  in 
Berkeley  Divinity  School,  Middletown,  Conn.  This  position 
he  resigned  in  1859  to  accept  the  rectorship  of  Trinity  Church, 
New  Haven.  At  the  time  of  his  death,  December  12th,  1902, 
he  was  rector-emeritus  of  that  parish.  In  1862  Trinity  College 
honored  him  with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity. 

Dr.  Harwood  married  Miss  Marian  Eckford,  daughter  of 
James  E.  DeKay,  M.D.,  of  New  Haven,  by  whom  he  had  a 
family  of  three  daughters  and  one  son.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  New  Haven  Colony  Historical  Society;  of  the  Society  of 
Biblical  Exegesis,  of  the  Archaeological  Society  of  America. 
He  was  also  one  of  the  translators  and  editors  of  "Lange's 
Commentary  on  the  Bible,"  author  of  Essays  on  "Archbishop 
Tillotson"  and  on  the  "Historic  Episcopate." 

During  his  stay  in  England  Dr.  Harwood  had  been  in  atten- 
dance at  the  meetings  of  the  Church  Congress,  and  had  been 
greatly  impressed  by  the  wisdom  and  spiritual  character  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES  245 

that  movement.  Upon  his  return  to  America  he  consulted 
with  intimate  friends  as  to  the  desirability  of  inaugurating  a 
similar  movement  in  this  country.  Shortly  after  his  return 
the  Cummings  schism  took  place,  and  Dr.  Harwood  felt  that 
an  opportunity  for  open  and  free  discussion  of  ecclesiastical 
matters  by  all  parties  was  greatly  needed,  in  order  to  counter- 
act the  tendency  of  many  within  the  Church,  both  clerical  and 
lay,  to  bitter  personal  controversy.  By  special  invitation,  a 
few  personal  friends  among  the  clergy,  including  Dr.  Wash- 
burn and  Dr.  Phillips  Brooks,  spent  a  day  with  Dr.  Harwood 
in  his  New  Haven  rectory,  to  hear  an  account  of  the  English 
Church  Congress  and  to  consult  as  to  the  expediency  of  in- 
augurating in  this  country  a  similar  opportunity,  for  free  dis- 
cussion between  representatives  of  the  different  schools  of 
thought  in  the  Episcopal  Church. 

As  a  result  of  this  meeting  a  gathering  of  some  fifty  clergy- 
men took  place  in  New  Haven  in  May,  1874,  who  were  invited 
for  the  purpose  of  discussing  certain  ecclesiastical  problems 
of  the  day.  Among  those  who  were  present  were  the  Rev. 
Drs.  Francis  Wharton,  Huntington,  Harwood,  Beardsley, 
Rylance,  Hugh  Miller  Thompson,  Washburn,  Dyer,  H.  C. 
Potter,  T.  M.  Peters,  J.  Cotton  Smith,  Osgood,  and  C. 
M.  Butler;  also  the  Rev.  Messrs.  George  D.  Wildes,  C.  C. 
Tiffany,  William  W.  Newton,  Treadwell  Walden,  J.  P.  Franks, 
C.  A.  L.  Richards,  William  G.  Andrews,  C.  B.  Smith,  William 
Kirkus,  A.  V.  G.  Allen,  R.  Heber  Newton,  J.  N.  Reese  and 
Arthur  Brooks. 

Church  and  State,  referring  to  this  meeting,  says:  "Dr. 
Harwood  read  a  paper  entitled  'Church  Congress,'  and  a  con- 
ference upon  this  subject  followed.  A  strong  feeling  was  ex- 
pressed in  favor  of  a  progressive  policy,  a  generous  toleration 
and  comprehensiveness,  and  an  adaptation  of  the  Church  to 
its  mission  in  this  age." 

The  Rev.  Phillips  Brooks,  writing  from  Philadelphia  at  this 
time,  says:  "Next  week  we  go  to  New  Haven:  all  of  us  Broad 
Churchmen,  to  see  what  can  be  done  to  make  or  keep  the 
Church  liberal  and  free." 

A  further  meeting  was  held  by  invitation  of  the  Rev.  Dr. 


246         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Washburn  in  the  rectory  of  Calvary  Church,  New  York,  and 
plans  were  perfected  for  holding  a  Church  Congress  in  the 
American  Church.  Its  first  public  session  was  in  New  York, 
October,  1874. 

Inasmuch  as  the  first  rector  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarna- 
tion has  been  freely  spoken  of  as  the  "father  of  the  Church 
Congress"  in  this  country,  it  is  interesting  to  note  the  begin- 
ning and  progress  of  a  movement  which  is  now  one  of  the 
recognized  institutions  of  the  Church. 

HENRY  EGLINTON  MONTGOMERY 

The  Second  Rector 

Henry  Eglinton  Montgomery,  the  second  rector  of  the 
Church  of  the  Incarnation,  was  born  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia, 
December  9th,  1820.  From  a  genealogical  paper  by  his  brother 
James  E.  Montgomery,  we  gather  the  following  information. 

The  father  of  these  men  was  John  Crathorne  Montgomery 
and  their  mother  Elizabeth  Henrietta  (Philips).  Mr.  Mont- 
gomery, senior,  was  prominent  in  political  circles  in  Philadel- 
phia, and  postmaster  of  that  city  under  President  Harrison. 
The  first  representative  of  the  family  in  America  was  William 
Montgomerie  of  Brigend  Ayrshire,  who  settled  at  "Eglinton," 
Doctors  Creek,  N.  J. 

Henry  E.  Montgomery  entered  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania at  the  age  of  fifteen  and  graduated  in  1839  the  second  in 
his  class,  and  the  valedictorian. 

After  his  graduation  he  entered  the  office  of  the  Honorable 
Joseph  R.  IngersoU  intending  to  make  law  his  profession.  Be- 
fore he  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  he  received  from  the  President 
an  appointment  as  attache  of  the  American  Embassy  at  Copen- 
hagen. Having  resided  abroad  for  nearly  two  years  Mr.  Mont- 
gomery returned  to  America  in  December,  1841,  and  decided 
to  abandon  the  law,  and  carry  out  his  long-cherished  desire 
to  prepare  for  Holy  Orders. 

So  imbued  was  Mr.  Montgomery  with  the  missionary  spirit 
and  with  a  desire  to  engage  in  frontier  work  that  he  associated 
himself  for  a  short  time  with  the  Rev.  James  Lloyd  Breck,  the 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES  247 

pioneer  missionary  in  the  wilds  of  Wisconsin.  Bishop  Kem- 
per, missionary  bishop  of  the  Northwest,  had  a  large  and 
sparsely  settled  portion  of  the  country  under  his  jurisdiction. 
There  were  no  railways  west  of  the  AUeghanies,  and  the  stage- 
coach was  the  chief  mode  of  public  conveyance.  By  asso- 
ciation with  this  noble  missionary  of  the  northwest  Mr. 
Montgomery  gained  valuable  experience  in  frontier  work. 

Upon  returning  from  the  west  in  1843  he  entered  the  General 
Theological  Seminary,  being  a  candidate  for  Holy  Orders  from 
the  missionary  jurisdiction  of  the  Northwest.  Having  grad- 
uated with  his  class  in  1846  Mr.  Montgomery  was  transferred 
to  the  diocese  of  Pennsylvania,  and  his  admission  to  the  dia- 
conate,  by  Bishop  Alonzo  Potter,  took  place  in  St.  Philip's 
Church,  Philadelphia,  June  28th,  1846.  In  September  of  that 
year  he  assumed  charge  of  All  Saints'  Church,  Moyamensing, 
Philadelphia.  In  this  same  month  Mr.  Montgomery  married 
Margaret  Augusta,  daughter  of  Judge  James  and  Janette  Maria 
Lynch.  Judge  Lynch  was  at  this  time  Justice  of  the  Marine 
Court  of  New  York  City. 

All  Saints'  Church  was  a  plain  two-story  brick  building 
situated  in  that  part  of  the  city  where  stood  the  old  Moyamen- 
sing prison.  In  this  church  on  March  25th,  1847,  the  bishop 
of  the  diocese  advanced  Mr.  Montgomery  to  the  priesthood. 

By  nine  years  of  laborious  work  in  this  outlying  district  of 
Moyamensing,  whose  population  was  a  terror  to  the  neighbor- 
hood, being  the  resort  of  such  as  were  engaged  in  deeds  of  vio- 
lence and  rowdyism,  much  valuable  experience  was  gained  in 
missionary  work.  Mr.  Montgomery  in  1854  received  a  call 
to  the  rectorship  of  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  New  York. 

ARTHUR  BROOKS 

The  Third  Rector 

Arthur  Brooks,  the  fifth  son  of  William  Gray  Brooks,  and 
through  him  a  lineal  descendant  of  the  Rev.  John  Cotton,  was 
born  in  Boston  on  the  11th  day  of  June,  1845.  His  mother  was 
Mary  Ann  Phillips,  a  granddaughter  of  Judge  John  Phillips, 


248         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

who  founded  Phillips  Exeter  Academy  and  with  his  brother, 
Samuel  Phillips,  was  joint  founder  of  Phillips  Andover  Academy. 

The  ancestor  on  the  mother's  side,  the  Rev.  George  Phillips, 
had  come  to  America  about  1630  with  Governor  Winthrop,  and 
was  descended  from  founders  of  New  England.  Arthur  Brooks 
therefore  was  connected  by  ties  of  blood,  education,  and  patriot- 
ism with  many  of  the  most  distinguished  men  and  women  of 
Massachusetts.  In  1858  he  entered  the  Boston  Latin  School, 
where  throughout  he  maintained  a  high  rank  and  a  continuous 
record  for  winning  prizes.  From  that  institution  he  entered 
Harvard  College  and  was  graduated  in  1867,  ranking  third  in 
his  class.  He  was  president  of  the  Institute,  a  literary  club  of 
which  one  of  his  ancestors,  in  1770,  had  been  the  first  president. 

In  his  senior  year  he  was  a  member  of  the  Hasty  Pudding 
Club.  Upon  hearing  of  his  decision  to  enter  the  ministry  of  the 
Church  his  brother  Phillips  wrote: 

"I  am  sure  that  you  are  right  and  that  all  the  good  prepara- 
tion you  have  made  will  find  its  true  use  in  the  Church.  We 
need  you  and  I  thank  God  that  you  are  coming." 

After  graduation  Mr.  Brooks  spent  one  year  in  Andover 
Theological  Seminary  and  from  there  entered  the  Divinity 
School  at  Philadelphia  to  finish  his  preparation  for  Holy  Orders. 
As  he  was  a  candidate  of  the  diocese  of  Massachusetts  he  was 
admitted  to  the  diaconate  by  Bishop  Eastburn  in  Trinity 
Church,  Boston,  June  25th,  1870,  and  immediately  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  diocese  of  Pennsylvania;  he  having  accepted  a  call 
to  the  rectorship  of  Christ  Church,  Williamsport.  On  Octo- 
ber 12th,  1870,  Bishop  Stevens  advanced  Arthur  Brooks  to  the 
priesthood ;  this  ceremony  taking  place  in  the  church  of  which  he 
was  rector.  He  was  presented  by  his  brother  Frederick,  and 
upon  this,  as  on  the  occasion  of  his  ordination  as  deacon  the 
sermon  was  preached  by  his  elder  brother,  the  Rev.  Phillips 
Brooks,  rector  of  Holy  Trinity  Church,  Philadelphia.  In  1872 
Mr.  Brooks  accepted  a  call  to  become  rector  of  St.  James* 
Church,  Chicago.  This  was  shortly  after  the  great  fire  which 
had  destroyed  St.  James'  Church  with  hundreds  of  other  build- 
ings, public  and  private,  in  the  city  of  Chicago.     Major  Good- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES  249 

win  thus  describes  the  beginning  of  Arthur  Brooks'  rectorate 
of  St.  James': 

In  the  month  of  April,  1872,  Arthur  Brooks  began  in  the  dust 
and  ashes,  the  widespread  ruin  and  utter  desolation  of  a 
burned-up  city,  to  rebuild  what  had  been  the  foremost  church 
of  the  northwest  and  to  gather  together  its  widely  scattered 
congregation.  His  first  sermon  was  preached  April  28th,  in 
the  vestibule  of  the  old  church  which  had  been  roofed  over 
and  made  into  a  temporary  chapel.  His  words  had  the  same 
ring  in  them  that  men  had  been  accustomed  to  hear  from  his 
distinguished  brother  Phillips. 

Mr.  Brooks  married  Elizabeth  Mather,  daughter  of  William 
Waldo  Willard  of  Williamsport,  and  granddaughter  of  Judge 
Maynard. 

After  a  residence  in  Chicago  of  more  than  two  years  he  re- 
ceived calls  almost  simultaneously  to  the  rectorship  of  St. 
Luke's  Church,  Philadelphia,  and  to  the  Church  of  the  Incar- 
nation, New  York. 

On  Easter  morning,  April,  1875,  Mr.  Brooks  preached  for  the 
first  time  in  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation ;  in  the  afternoon  he 
paid  a  visit  to  the  mission  chapel  in  East  Thirty-first  Street. 

In  April,  1881,  he  made  the  prayer  at  the  unveiling  of  the 
statue  of  Admiral  Farragut  in  Washington,  being  the  guest  of 
President  Garfield. 

In  June  of  the  same  year  he  preached  the  baccalaureate  ser- 
mon at  Union  College,  and  was  unexpectedly  called  on  to  make 
the  address  at  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  Washburn 
Memorial  Hall.     Of  this  he  wrote  to  a  member  of  his  family : — 

"I  have  seMom  enjoyed  preaching  as  I  did  last  night.  The 
house  was  packed  and  people  stood  through  it  all.  The  body 
of  faculty  and  student-  in  the  front  made  it  a  most  inspiriting 
sight  and  I  got  intensely  interested  in  the  occasion.  So  I  am 
satisfied.  Dr.  Potter  wants  me  to  make  the  address  on  laying 
the  corner-stone  on  Tuesday,  if  General  Grant  who  is  invited, 
does  not  come." 

In  January,  1882,  Mr.  Brooks  was  asked  to  receive  contribu- 
tions for  a  window  to  be  placed  in  Westminster  Abbey  in 
memory  of  Dean  Stanley.  The  New  York  Committee,  which 
met  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Cyrus  W.  Field,  issued  a  circular  re- 


250         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

questing  subscriptions  for  this  object,  and  as  a  result  received . 
and  transmitted  five  thousand  dollars. 

Mr.  Brooks  offered  the  prayer  at  the  unveiling  of  the  Actors* 
Monument  to  Edgar  Allan  Poe  at  the  Metropolitan  Museum, 
New  York.  Of  this  he  wrote :  "Yesterday  I  was  at  the  unveil- 
ing of  the  Actors'  Monument  to  Edgar  Poe.  I  was  to  make  the 
prayer,  and  walked  in,  arm  in  arm,  with  John  Gilbert  and  sat 
with  him  in  the  front  row,  with  solemn  Edwin  Booth  behind 
me.  My  chum  was  agreeable  and  we  had  a  good  time  togeth- 
er, probably  never  to  meet  again." 

The  University  of  New  York  and  Princeton  University  each 
conferred  upon  Arthur  Brooks  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divin- 
ity, and  the  Victoria  Institute  of  Great  Britain  elected  him  to 
membership. 

Dr.  Brooks  was  not  only  active  in  his  parish  work,  but  he 
was  also  deeply  interested  in  many  of  the  charitable  institutions 
in  the  city  and  especially  those  connected  with  the  Church. 
He  was  soon  elected  to  fill  the  vacancies  occasioned  by  the 
death  of  his  predecessor,  on  the  board  of  directors  of  the  Shel- 
tering Arms,  the  House  of  Rest,  and  the  Home  for  Incurables. 
Dr.  Brooks  also  was  a  trustee  of  St.  Johnland  and  of  the  Divin- 
ity School  of  Philadelphia. 

"The  great  sorrow  of  Arthur  Brooks'  life  came  to  him  in 
January,  1893,  when  his  brother  Phillips  died.  Immediate- 
ly he  supplemented  his  already  too  heavily  loaded  life,  for  his 
church,  his  charities  and  missions  and  colleges,  by  the  sad  task 
of  placing  that  brother  vividly  and  faithfully  before  the  world 
in  a  biography." 

"Appleton's  Annual  Cyclopedia  for  1893  contains  a 
noble  sketch  of  Bishop  Brooks  six  columns  in  length  written 
by  Arthur,  and  much  of  what  he  said  may  well  be  applied  to 
Arthur  himself." 

Arthur  Brooks  was  a  very  busy  man;  overburdened  with  a 
large  correspondence,  and  demands  of  various  kinds  upon  his 
thoughts  and  time. 

"He  found  time  however  to  attend  the  Philharmonic  Society 
concerts    regularly,    the    Mendelssohn    Glee    Club    concerts 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES  251 

fairly  often,  to  visit  all  the  large  art  exhibitions,  as  well  as  to 
attend  many  dinners  and  other  social  functions." 

"The  Life  of  Christ  in  the  World"  is  the  title  of  a  volume 
containing  twenty-five  of  Dr.  Brooks'  sermons,  published  in 
1887. 

The  Brooks  family  consisted  of  six  boys,  four  of  whom 
entered  the  ministry  of  the  Episcopal  Church; — Phillips,  who 
in  1891  became  Bishop  of  Massachusetts,  died  in  1893; 
Frederick,  rector  in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  died  in  1874;  John  Cot- 
ton of  Springfield,  Mass.,  rector  and  Archdeacon,  whose  death 
occurred  in  Paris,  France,  1907;  and  Arthur,  who  died  at 
sea  July  10th,  1895.  George  died  during  the  war  in  1862; 
and  William  Gray  died  in  Boston  in  May,  1912. 

WILLIAM  MERCER  GROSVENOR 

The  Fourth  Rector 

William  Mercer  Grosvenor,  the  fourth  rector  of  the 
parish  of  the  Incarnation  was  born  in  New  London,  Connec- 
ticut, June  22d,  1863.  He  was  the  son  of  Samuel  Howe  Gros- 
venor of  Pomfret  and  Norwich,  Connecticut,  and  of  Maria  S. 
Mercer,  daughter  of  Dr.  Archibald  Mercer  of  Millstone,  and 
Newark,  New  Jersey,  and  of  New  London,  Connecticut.  The 
ancestors  of  Mr.  Grosvenor  were  among  the  early  settlers  of 
Eastern  Connecticut,  Pomfret  being  founded  by  John  Gros- 
venor who  later  returned  to  Boston  and  was  buried  in  the  old 
graveyard  at  Roxbury  in  1690.  Many  of  his  ancestors  were 
graduates  of  Yale  and  Princeton  Colleges. 

Having  graduated  from  Williams  College  in  the  class  of 
1885,  William  M.  Grosvenor  entered  Berkeley  Divinity  School, 
Middletown,  and  upon  completion  of  his  course,  was  ordained 
deacon  May  30th,  1888,  by  Bishop  Williams,  and  priest  by 
Bishop  Littlejohn,  June  16th,  1889. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Grosvenor  became  assistant  minister  at  Grace 
Church,  Brooklyn,  then  under  the  rectorship  of  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Chauncey  B.  Brewster,  the  present  bishop  of  Connecticut; 
leaving  there  May  1st,  1890,  to  assume  the  rectorship  of 
Trinity  Church,  Lenox,  Mass.     In  October,  1895,  the  vestry 


252         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

of  the  parish  of  the  Incarnation  extended  to  Mr.  Grosvenor 
a  call  to  become  its  rector;  which  invitation  he  accepted. 
After  sixteen  years  of  service  in  the  parish  he  was  elected 
Dean  of  the  Cathedral  of  St.  John  the  Divine,  New  York, 
and  entered  upon  the  duties  of  that  oflfice  in  October,  1911. 

Mr.  Grosvenor  received  the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Divinity  from  the  University  of  New  York  in  1897,  and  a 
similar  degree  from  Williams  College  1905. 

In  1901  the  diocese  of  New  York  honored  Dr.  Grosvenor  by 
an  election  as  deputy  to  the  General  Convention,  to  which 
body  he  has  ever  since  been  regularly  returned.  In  1908  he 
became  president  of  the  Standing  Committee  of  the  diocese; 
and  has  been  chairman  of  the  Standing  Committee  of  the 
General  Theological  Seminary,  and  of  several  special  com- 
mittees of  the  diocese.  He  was  a  trustee  of  the  Cathedral  of 
St.  John  the  Divine,  and  after  Dr.  Huntington's  death  became 
chairman  of  the  Committee  on  the  Fabric. 

The  several  institutions  in  the  city  with  which  Dr.  Brooks 
had  been  intimately  associated,  elected  Dr.  Grosvenor  to  fill 
the  vacancies  occasioned  by  the  death  of  his  predecessor. 
Dr.  Grosvenor  was  elected  a  trustee  of  Barnard  College,  of  the 
Sheltering  Arms,  and  a  member  of  the  City  Mission  Society. 


HOWARD  CHANDLER  ROBBINS 

The  Fifth  Rector 
Howard  Chandler  Rob  bins  was  born  in  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  December  11th,  1876:  graduated  from  Yale  University 
1899,  and  Episcopal  Theological  School,  Cambridge.  In  1903  he 
was  ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Lawrence,  and  priest  in  1904, 
by  Bishop  Lines.  Assistant  at  St.  Peter's,  Morristown,  N.  J., 
1903-5;  then  rector  of  St.  Paul's,  Englewood,  N.  J.,  where  he 
remained  until  1911,  when  he  became  rector  of  the  Church  of 
the  Incarnation.  He  was  member  of  the  Board  of  Missions, 
Diocese  of  Newark,  and  alternate  deputy  to  General  Conven- 
tion: is  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Church 
Mission  of  Help,  of  The  Sheltering  Arms,  of  St.  Johnland,  of 
the  Training  School  for  Deaconesses,  of  the  Home  for  Incur- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES  253 

ables,  and  of  the  Churchman.  Mr.  Robbins  is  the  fifth 
clergyman  of  his  family  in  direct  descent.  His  predecessors 
in  the  ministry  were  the  Rev.  Nathaniel  Robbins  of  Cam- 
bridge, Mass.,  the  Rev.  Philemon  Robbins,  pastor  for  half 
a  century  of  the  Congregational  Church  in  Branford,  Conn., 
the  Rev.  Ammi  Ruhamah  Robbins,  pastor  for  another  half 
century  of  the  Congregational  Church  in  Norfolk,  Conn., 
and  the  Rev.  Francis  LeBaron  Robbins,  pastor  of  the  Oxford 
Presbyterian  Church  in  Philadelphia.  Mr.  Robbins  married 
in  1907  Miss  Mary  Louise  Bayles,  the  daughter  of  Robert 
Bayles  of  New  York  City. 


WARDENS  OF  THE  PARISH 

WITH  DATE  OF  ELECTION 


Murray  Hoffman  1852-'59 

Christopher  S.  Bourne  1852-'55 

John  Davenport  1855-'63 

J.  B.  Vandervoort  1860-'65 

Samuel  M.  Valentine  1863-'84 

George  F.  Nesbitt  1865-'69 
Montgomery  H 


Henry  Eyre 
William  B.  Gierke 
Edgar  M.  Grawford 
George  W.  Smith 
John  L.  Riker 
Francis  L,  Stetson 
Glarkson  1909- 


1870-'73 
1873-'83 
1883-'98 
1884-'01 
1899-'09 
1901- 


VESTRYMEN  OF  THE  PARISH 


John  Davenport* 
William  G.  Dayton 
A.  G.  Thorp 
H.  B.  Gook 
G.  H.  Smith 
Samuel  Sparks 
F.  W.  Tomkins 
Joseph  Tucker 
Joseph  B.  Vandervoort 
John  Jay 

George  F.  Nesbitt* 
Samuel  M.  Valentine* 
Edward  Gardiner 
George  R.  Hendrickson 
D.  Glarkson,  Jr. 
William  Hegeman 
Gharles  E.  Milnor 
Hem-y  Eyre* 
William  Tracy 
William  B.  Gierke* 
Philip  Pritchard 
Edgar  M.  Grawford* 
Louis  F.  Therasson 
Henry  A.  Oakley 
J.  Hobart  Herrick 
A.  F.  Higgins 
Wilham  G.  Ward 

♦Elected  warden 


WITH  DATE  OF  ELECTION 
1852-'55 


H.  G.  Fahnestock  1868-*73 

1852-'53  George  W.  Smith*  1870-'84 

1852-'53  John  Davenport  1870-'74 

1852-'53  Gharles  B.  Fosdick  1873-'82 

1852-'56  John  L.  Riker*  1873-'99 

1852-'54  Carlisle  Norwood  1876-'91 

1852-'58  Woodbury  G.  Langdon  1876-'83 

1852-'54  A.  G.  Pulling  1878-'84 

1853-'60  Francis  L.  Stetson*  1883-'01 

1853- '58  JohnByers  1883-'87 

1853-'65  William  L.  Strong  1884-'89 

1854-'63  Montgomery    H.    Glark- 

1854-'55          son*  1884-'09 

1855-'56  John  H.  Hall  1884-'90 

1855-'58  Waldron  P.  Brown  1888- 

1856-'57  Frederick  E.  Hyde  1890-'ll 

1856-'63  James  McLean  1891- 

1856-'70  Herbert  Valentine  1892-'05 

1857-'63  Gharles  Lanier  1896- 

1859.'73  Woodbury  G.  Langdon  1897-'04 

1860-'64  John  A.  McKim  1899- 

1860-'83  George  F  Butterworth  1901- 

1863-'77  Edwin  H.  Weatherbee  1904.'12 

1863-'82  John  I.  Kane  1905- 

1864-'76  Samuel  Riker,  Jr.  1909- 

1864-'68  E.  Severin  Glark  1911- 

1865-'70  Gherardi  Davis  1912- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES 

Wardens  and  Vestrymen 

Murray  Hoffman  was  born  in  New  York  City  September 
29th,  1791.  He  was  a  graduate  of  Columbia  College  in  1809. 
Received  the  degree  of  LL.D.  Union  College  1840  and  Colum- 
bia 1860.  Judge  Hoffman  was  the  first  elected  warden  of 
the  parish,  and  also  for  six  years  represented  the  parish  in 
diocesan  convention.  His  death  occurred  in  1878  at  his 
home  in  Flushing,  where  he  had  resided  after  leaving  New 
York. 

Christopher  Stibb  Bourne,  junior  warden  1852-55, 
was  a  son  of  Rev.  George  Bourne  of  Newbury,  England,  the 
pastor  of  the  Collegiate  Dutch  Church,  Liberty  and  Pine 
Streets,  New  York  City,  and  editor  of  the  Christian  Intelligen- 
cer. He  was  born  at  Fort  Richmond,  Va.,  1812.  In  1830  he 
settled  in  Quebec,  Canada,  and  married  Mary  J.  Cowan.  In 
1840  he  became  a  resident  of  N.  Y.  engaged  in  various  mer- 
cantile pursuits,  and  in  1850  was  cashier  for  the  firm  of  George 
S.  Robbins  &  Son.  Mr.  Bourne  was  a  strong  churchman  and 
identified  with  the  parishes  of  the  Incarnation  and  the  Holy 
Communion;  and  after  leaving  New  York  was  a  communicant 
of  St.  Paul's  Church,  Morrisania,  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  1859. 

John  Davenport  (vestryman  1852,  warden  1855-63.  Re- 
elected vestryman  1870-74),  was  born  in  Boston  December  8th, 
1804.  He  entered  the  shipping  house  of  Spofford,  Tileston  & 
Co.,  New  York,  and  was  sent  to  Charleston  to  their  branch 
house;  also  went  as  supercargo  in  one  of  their  vessels  to 
Brazil  and  Buenos  Ayres:  was  deputy  naval  oflScer  under 
collector  Lord,  during  Presidents  Harrison's  and  Tyler's 
administrations,  and  perfected  a  plan  of  keeping  the  books  of 
the  department:  was  in  the  wholesale  hardware  business  for 


256         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

eleven  years,  and  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Hardware 
Dealers'  Board  of  Trade,  and  its  first  secretary.  At  that  time 
it  was  a  bye-word  in  the  trade  in  speaking  of  a  man's  honesty, 
to  say  as  "honest  as  John  Davenport."  He  was  one  of  the 
organizers  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Seaman's  Society,  and 
for  many  years  its  treasurer,  and  to  the  time  of  his  death  its 
first  lay  vice-president, — the  bishop  of  the  diocese  being  the 
president.  Being  a  receiver  of  a  large  estate,  he  discovered  a 
fraud  by  the  late  Judge  McCunn  of  the  Superior  Court,  which 
was  the  forerunner  of  the  Judge's  impeachment.  Deserted  by 
his  counsel  and  threatened,  Mr.  Davenport  stood  firm  and 
would  not  sanction  the  claim.  Was  first  elected  member  of 
the  Public  School  Society  in  1848,  and  of  the  Board  of  Educa- 
tion in  1855.  Was  elected  once  by  the  Public  School  Society, 
and  four  times  by  the  people.  Elected  auditor  of  the  Board  of 
Education  in  1862.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Seaman's 
Mission: — was  first  lay  vice-president  of  City  Mission  Society; 
chairman  of  prison  committee,  and  the  first  president  of  the 
Midnight  Mission.  Mr.  Davenport  married  the  daughter  of 
Capt.  Nathaniel  Davis,  cousin  to  the  late  Rear  Admiral  Davig 
descendant  of  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  Massachusetts 
and  of  patriotic  and  revolutionary  memories.  He  died  in  his 
91st  year,  on  April  28th,  1895. 

William  Chandler  Dayton,  vestryman  1852:  born  Eliza- 
bethtown,  N.  J.,  March  3d,  1805;  educated  at  Dr.  Rudd's 
Classical  School,  N.  Y.;  resided  with  his  uncle,  Bishop  Hobart; 
clerk  in  the  book-store  of  Stanford  &  Swords,  Church  Pub- 
lishers, N.  Y.  In  1829  appointed  post  of  entry  clerk  in  the 
U.  S.  Custom  House,  and  first  registrar  of  warehouse  depart- 
ment. In  1837  he  married  Sophia  Anne  Gardner.  Was 
vestryman  of  St.  Paul's  Chapel,  of  Calvary  Church  and  of  the 
Church  of  the  Incarnation.  In  1853  he  moved  to  Elizabeth- 
town,  N.  J.,  and  there  became  vestryman  of  Christ  Church, 
and  was  senior  warden  at  the  time  of  his  death  April  19th,  1877. 

Floyd  W.  Tomkins,  vestryman  1852-58,  clerk  of  the  parish 
and  deputy  to  diocesan  convention.  He  married  Miss  Eliza 
Dunham  in  1838.      His  family  consisted  of  two  boys  and 


Murray  Hoffman 


Christopher  S.  Bourne 


John  Davenport 


William  C.  Dayton 


WARDENS  AND  VESTRYMEN 


BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  257 

three  daughters.  Both  boys  entered  the  ministry: — The 
Rev.  Floyd  W.  Tomkins,  D.D.,  present  rector  of  the  Church 
of  the  Holy  Trinity,  Phihadelphia;  and  the  Rev.  ElHott  Dun- 
ham Tomkins,  rector  of  St.  James'  Church,  Long  Branch. 
During  his  residence  in  New  York  he  was  actively  engaged 
in  church  work  especially  in  connection  with  the  Seamen's 
Chapel.  He  was  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  New  Yorl: 
Observer.  After  he  had  removed  to  the  suburbs  he  continued 
his  interest  in  church  work  and  for  many  years  carried  on 
a  Sunday-school  and  founded  two  or  three  churches,  Mr. 
Tomkins  died  in  1900. 

Samuel  Sparks,  was  born  January  20th,  1787,  on  a  farm  in 
Chambers  Street,  New  York  City.  He  was  the  son  of  John  and 
Sarah  Cure  Sparks  of  New  Windsor  on  the  Hudson  and  mar- 
ried Katherine  Fink  of  old  Dutch  New  York  family  in  1809. 
He  was  a  man  of  leisure  when  connected  with  the  parish. 
Previously  he  had  been  in  the  grocery  business  at  Duane  and 
William  Streets.  He  was  one  of  the  "city  fathers"  having  been 
an  alderman  when  a  young  man.  His  family  consisted  of 
thirteen  children.     Mr.  Sparks  died  October  26th,  186.5. 

J.  B.  Vandervoort  was  born  July  6th,  1810,  in  the  village 
of  Newtown,  L.  I.  He  was  educated  privately  by  the  Rev. 
Dr.  William  Eigenbrodt.  Later  he  entered  the  employ  of 
Storm,  DuBois  &  Co.,  wholesale  tobacco  house  in  New  York, 
and  became  partner  in  the  firm  in  1837,  under  the  name  of 
DuBois  &  Vandervoort.  In  1836  he  married  Laetitia  Van 
Wyck,  daughter  of  John  C.  and  Delia  G.  Van  Wyck  of  Fish- 
kill,  N.  Y.  Mr.  Vandervoort  was  elected  vestryman  of  the 
Incarnation  in  1853  and  became  warden  in  1860.  His  death 
occurred  March  4th,  1888,  at  his  home  in  Astoria,  L.  I. 

George  Fash  Nesbitt  was  born  January  13th,  1809.  He 
was  head  of  the  printing  house  of  George  F.  Nesbitt  &  Co. 
On  April  29th,  1821,  he  married  Adeline,  daughter  of  Daniel 
and  Rachel  Allen.  Mr.  Nesbitt  was  adjutant  of  the  Sixth 
Regiment  National  Guard  under  Colonel  Peers,  and  later  was 
brigadier- general  on  the  staff  of  Governor  Morgan.     He  was  an 


258         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

organizer  of  the  Ellsworth  Zouaves,  and  treasurer  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Volunteer  Fire  Department.  He  was 
elected  vestryman  of  the  parish  in  1853,  warden  in  1865,  and 
treasurer  in  1856.  He  was  also  for  several  years  delegate  to 
the  diocesan  convention.     His  death  occurred  April  7th,  1869. 

John  Jay  was  born  in  New  York,  June  23d,  1817.  He 
was  educated  at  Dr.  Muhlenberg's  Institute,  and  a  graduate 
from  Columbia  College  in  1836.  He  was  prominent  in  church 
work  and  in  conventions,  and  was  United  States  Minister  to 
Austria  1869-75.  He  was  president  of  the  Civil  Service  Com- 
mission and  the  first  president  of  the  Huguenot  Society. 
Mr.  Jay  was  the  author  of  numerous  essays  and  addresses. 
In  1837  he  married  Eleanor  Field  of  New  York,  and  in  1858 
removed  to  Bedford,  Westchester  County.  He  was  vestry- 
man of  this  church  from  1853-58,  and  represented  the  parish 
in  diocesan  convention  from  1853-59.  His  death  occurred 
in  New  York  May  4th,  1894. 

Samuel  M.  Valentine  was  born  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
November  18th,  1814,  and  died  in  Lucerne,  Switzerland,  August 
7th,  1884.  After  his  graduation  from  the  Wesley  an  University, 
Middletown,  Conn.,  entered  the  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons,  New  York,  from  which  institution  he  received  the 
degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine.  Dr.  Valentine  continued  his 
studies  in  Paris  for  some  two  years  after  his  graduation. 
In  1843  he  married  Elizabeth  Hempstead,  of  New  London, 
Conn.  Dr.  Valentine  did  not  practice  his  profession  but  de- 
voted himself  to  the  care  of  his  estate  and  to  religious  and 
charitable  work.  He  was  elected  vestryman  of  the  Incarnation 
in  1854,  and  was  senior  warden  from  1865  to  the  time  of  his 
death.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Home  Mission 
and  a  delegate  to  diocesan  convention  nine  years. 

Henry  Eyre,  son  of  the  Rev.  James  Eyre,  rector  of  Bever- 
ley Minister,  was  born  in  Beverley,  Yorkshire,  England,  in 
November,  1814.  He  was  a  merchant  in  New  York  City  and 
as  a  Churchman  was  greatly  interested  in  the  mission  of  the 
Incarnation.     He  became   vestryman   in    1856   and   warden 


Samuel  Sparks 


J.   B.  Vandervoort 


Floyd  W.  Tom  kins 


George  F.  Nesbitt 


WARDENS  AND  VESTRYMEN 


BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  259 

1870  to  1873.  Mr.  Eyre  represented  the  parish  in  the  dio- 
cesan convention  in  1865-6,  and  from  1869-72.  He  was  on 
the  Board  for  the  Home  Mission  from  1860.  His  death  oc- 
curred on  Staten  Island,  May  4th,  1882. 

William  B.  Clebke,  was  born  in  New  York  City  on  Feb- 
ruary 19th,  1827,  and  died  at  Cooperstown,  N.  Y.,  on  July  18th, 
1883.  In  1853  he  married  Miss  Jane  Edgar  Fonda,  daughter 
of  Dr.  Alexander  Glen  Fonda,  of  Schenectady,  N.  Y.  He  was 
the  son  of  the  Hon.  Thomas  W.  Gierke,  Judge  of  the  Supreme 
Court  and  of  the  Court  of  Appeals,  New  York  State.  He 
joined  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation  in  1854,  two  years  after 
its  organization  and  was  a  member  of  its  vestry  from  1859  to 
1883,  and  its  junior  warden  from  1879  to  the  time  of  his  death. 
For  many  years  he  was  a  banker  and  broker  and  at  one  time 
President  of  the  Stock  Exchange.  Mr.  Gierke  was  a  delegate 
to  diocesan  convention  for  eight  years  and  was  clerk  of  the 
parish  for  seventeen  years. 

Edgar  M.  Crawford,  residing  in  New  York:  was  Lieuten- 
ant Colonel  of  the  Seventh  regiment  at  the  close  of  the  civil 
war.  He  was  for  many  years  engaged  in  business  in  this  city; 
was  president  of  the  Board  of  Trade  and  a  director  of  the  Rut- 
gers Fire  Insurance  Company.  He  was  greatly  interested  in 
the  work  of  the  mission  chapel  in  Thirty -first  street,  and  for 
many  years  conducted  a  large  Bible-class  of  young  men.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Home  Mission  Board  from  1862;  elected 
vestryman  1860,  became  warden  in  1883  and  senior  warden 
upon  the  death  of  Dr.  Valentine  in  1884.  He  was  elected 
delegate  to  diocesan  convention  1863,  and  many  times  re- 
elected. Treasurer  of  the  parish  1878-1891.  His  death  oc- 
curred December  14th,  1898. 

George  Washington  Smith  born  February  22d,  1832;  was 
for  fifty  years  a  merchant  in  this  city,  and  for  nearly  forty 
years  was  identified  with  this  parish,  as  Sunday-school  teacher 
at  the  mission,  and  member  of  Home  Mission  Board.  He  was 
elected  to  the  vestry  in  1870,  became  warden  in  1884  and 
senior  warden  1899.  He  was  elected  delegate  to  the  diocesan 
convention  1878.     For  many  years  he  was  chairman  of  the 


260         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

music  committee  of   the  parish.     His  death  occurred  at  his 
summer  residence  in  Bar  Harbor,  Maine,  August  13th,  1901. 

John  Lawrence  Riker,  son  of  John  Lawrence  Riker  was 
born  in  Bowery  Bay,  Long  Island,  November  23d,  1830. 
When  a  lad  he  was  educated  at  the  Astoria  Academy.  At  the 
age  of  nineteen  entered  the  employ  of  Benjamin  H.  Field,  deal- 
er in  drugs  and  chemicals,  New  York,  and  in  1854  was  admitted 
into  partnership.  In  1857  he  married  Anna  Mary  Johnson. 
Mr.  Riker  formed  a  co-partnership  with  his  brother  Samuel 
in  1861  in  the  same  line  of  business,  under  the  firm  name  of 
J.  L.  and  D.  S.  Riker.  He  became  prominent  in  many 
financial  institutions,  was  vice-president  of  the  Bank  of  New 
York,  of  the  Second  National  Bank  and  of  the  Fifth  Avenue 
Safe  Deposit  Company,  and  a  director  in  many  Insurance  and 
Trust  Companies.  Mr.  Riker  was  a  member  for  thirty  years 
of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  and  its  vice-president  from  1896 
to  1900.  The  Riker  family  came  from  Amsterdam  to  America 
in  1630  and  settled  in  Nieuw  Amsterdam,  receiving  several 
grants  of  land  among  them  a  patent  for  Hewlett's  Island,  in  the 
East  River  now  known  as  Riker's  Island.  Mr.  Riker  became 
a  vestryman  of  the  Incarnation  in  1873,  and  was  its  senior 
warden  from  1902  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  at 
his  summer  home,  Seabright,  N.  J.,  in  July,  1909. 

Woodbury  G.  Langdon  was  born  in  New  York,  April  9th, 
1849,  and  educated  in  Paris,  France.  After  his  return  to 
the  United  States  in  July,  1868,  he  affiliated  himself  with  the 
Church  of  the  Incarnation.  On  January  18th,  1882,  Mr. 
Langdon  married  Sophia  Elizabeth,  second  daughter  of  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Montgomery.  During  his  residence  in  New  York 
he  served  as  vestryman  of  the  church  from  1876  to  1883; 
and  was  its  clerk  for  seven  years.  Upon  re-election  to  the 
vestry  in  1897  he  served  until  1904.  In  1911  Mr.  Langdon 
moved  to  Morristown,  N.  J.  Since  1897  he  has  been  presi- 
dent of  the  Hospital  and  House  of  Rest  for  Consumptives, 
New  York. 

Carlisle  Norwood  was  born  in  New  York  City,  February 
12th,  1812,   and  was  a  son  of  Andrew  Sickles  Norwood.     At 


JuiiN  Jay 


Samuel  M.  Valentine 


Henry   Eyre  William  B.  Clerke 

WARDENS  AND  VESTRYMEN 


BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  261 

the  age  of  fourteen  he  was  sent  to  school  in  Paris  and  while 
there,  General  Lafayette,  who  was  a  friend  of  his  father  in- 
vited him  to  visit  him  at  his  home,  La  Grange,  where  he 
became  an  intimate  friend.  In  1842,  he  married  Louisa  J. 
Willcocks,  daughter  of  Lewis  Willcocks,  of  New  York  City. 
For  many  years  he  was  president  of  the  Lorillard  Fire  Insur- 
ance Company.  From  1876  to  1891  Mr.  Norwood  was  a 
vestryman  of  the  Church,  and  a  delegate  to  diocesan  con- 
vention eleven  years. 

Abraham  C.  Pulling  was  born  in  Amsterdam,  N.  Y. 
March  6th,  1825.  His  education  was  received  in  the  schools  of 
his  native  town.  He  took  a  course  at  the  Medical  School  of 
Albany  intending  to  enter  upon  the  same  prefession  as  his 
father,  but  changed  his  mind  and  associated  himself  with  his 
brother  in  the  drug  business  in  Albany,  afterwards  opening  a 
store  of  his  own.  In  1854  he  married  Elizabeth  M.  Tweddle, 
daughter  of  Mr.  John  Tweddle  of  Albany.  Later  Mr.  Pulling 
was  associated  with  his  father-in-law  in  the  malt  business. 
Having  removed  from  Albany  in  1869,  he  was  associated  in 
the  same  business  with  his  brothers-in-law  Thomas  B.  and 
John  Tweddle,  Jr.  From  1873  Mr.  Pulling  was  in  business 
for  himself  until  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occured  June 
17th,  1884.  He  was  a  member  of  the  vestry  from  1878,  a  dele- 
gate to  diocesan  convention  1879,  and  on  the  Board  for  the 
Home  Mission. 

Herbert  Valentine  was  born  in  New  York,  April  8th, 
1851,  and  died  September  29th,  1905.  He  took  a  classical 
course  at  Williams  College  and  went  into  business  in  the 
financial  district,  being  connected  with  Jay  Cooke  &  Co., 
until  the  failure  of  that  firm.  He  graduated  from  Columbia 
Law  School  in  1876,  with  the  degree  of  LL.B.  He  practised 
his  profession  in  this  city  until  his  death.  Mr.  Valentine  was 
vestryman  from  1892  to  1905:  clerk  of  the  vestry  for  nine 
years,  and  a  member  of  its  Finance  Committee;  and  was 
secretary  of  the  Board  of  Managers  for  the  Home  Mission. 

James  Mansell  Constable  was  born  in  Storrington,  Sus- 
sex, England,  August  19th,  1812,  and  died  in  New  York  City 


262         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

May  12th,  1900.  On  April  17th,  1844,  he  married  Henrietta 
Arnold,  only  daughter  of  Aaron  Arnold.  Mr.  Constable 
entered  the  firm  of  Arnold,  Constable  &  Co.  as  a  young  man 
and  was  in  business  at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  came  to  this 
country  while  quite  a  young  man  and  made  this  his  permanent 
home. 

Francts  Lynde  Stetson,  member  of  the  New  York  Bar 
Association.  Elected  vestryman  in  1883,  warden  1901,  senior 
warden  1909.  Delegate  to  diocesan  convention  1881-83, 
and  from  1888  to  1912;  alternate  deputy  to  General  Conven- 
tion 1888,  deputy  to  General  Convention  1891-1912.  Super- 
intendent of  parish  Sunday-school,  member  of  the  Home  Mission 
Board,  and  of  the  St.  Luke's  Association.  Clerk  of  the  ves- 
try, 1883-1890. 

Montgomery  H.  Clarkson,  member  of  the  New  York  Stock 
Exchange.  Elected  vestryman  1884,  warden  1909.  Member 
of  the  Home  Mission  Board  and  the  St.  Luke's  Association. 

Waldron  p.  Brown,  senior  member  of  the  banking  house  of 
Brown  Brothers  &  Company;  member  of  the  New  York  Stock 
Exchange  and  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce.  Elected  vestry- 
man 1888.     Treasurer  of  the  parish  1891  to  date. 

James  McLean,  merchant,  senior  member  of  the  firm  of 
Phelps,  Dodge  &  Co.,  elected  vestryman  in  1891,  a  member  of 
the  Music  Committee.  Mr.  McLean  has  been  a  liberal  donor 
to  the  church. 

Charles  Lanier,  senior  member  of  the  banking  house  of 
Winslow,  Lanier  &  Co.,  member  of  the  New  York  Stock  Ex- 
change; elected  vestryman  in  1896;  member  of  the  Finance 
and  Music  Committees  of  the  vestry. 

John  A.  McKim,  member  of  the  New  York  Bar  Association, 
a  brother  of  the  late  Rev.  Haslett  McKim,  a  former  assistant 
in  the  parish,  elected  a  vestryman  in  1899,  member  of  the 
Music  Committee,  and  Treasurer  of  the  Home  Mission  Board. 

George  F.  Butterworth,  member  of  the  New  York  Bar 
Association.  Elected  vestryman  1901,  clerk  of  the  vestry 
1906  to  date.     Member  of  the  Home  Mission  Board. 


Edgar  M.  Crawford 


George  W.  Smith 


John  L.   Rikkr  Woodbury  G.  Langdon 

WARDENS  AND  VESTRYMEN 


BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  268 

John  Innes  Kane,  elected  member  of  the  vestry  1905, 
member  of  the  Finance  Committee  of  the  vestry, 

Samuel  Riker,  Jr.,  son  of  the  late  John  L.  Riker.  Member 
of  the  New  York  Bar  Association.  Elected  vestryman  in 
1909,  member  of  the  Finance  Committee  of  the  vestry. 

E.  Severin  Clark,  son  of  the  late  Alfred  Corning  Clark, 
and  founder  of  the  Memorial  Chapel  in  East  Thirty-first 
Street.    Elected  vestryman  in  1911. 

Gherardi  Davis,  member  of  the  New  York  Bar  Associa- 
tion, elected  vestryman  in  1912. 

Frederick  E.  Hyde,  M.  D.,  vestryman  1890-1911.  Mem- 
ber of  the  Finance  Committee,  treasurer  of  the  Summer  Home, 
member  of  the  Home  Mission  Board,  a  generous  contributor 
to  the  fresh-air  work  and  to  the  parish  church.  Removed  to 
Lawrence,  L.  I.,  in  1911. 

Edwin  Henry  Weatherbee — Vestryman  1904-12.  He 
was  the  son  of  Henry  M.  and  Mary  Angell  Weatherbee;  born 
at  Chatham,  Columbia  Co.,  N.  Y.,  September  23d,  1852,  and 
died  in  New  York  February  11th,  1912.  He  married  Amy  H. 
Constable,  daughter  of  James  M.  Constable,  November  15th, 
1881.  After  his  graduation  at  Yale  College  in  the  Class  of 
1875,  he  began  to  study  law  in  the  office  of  the  Honorable 
Stewart  L.  Woodford.  At  the  time  of  his  marriage  he  enter- 
ed the  firm  of  Arnold,  Constable  &  Co. 

ASSISTANT  MINISTERS  IN  THE  PARISH. 

Matthias  Evans  Willing,  first  missionary  in  charge  of  the 
chapel  1858-60.  Rector  of  the  Church  of  the  Atonement 
1863.  Sometime  connected  with  the  New  York  City  Mission 
Society.  Chaplain  of  U.  S.  Volunteers  1863.  Died  March 
2d,  1891,  aged  77  years. 

Tapping  Reeve  Chipman,  in  charge  of  the  chapel  1860-63. 
Ordained  deacon  July  1st,  1838  by  Bishop  B.  U.  Onderdonk; 
ordained  priest  October  6th,  1839,  by  Bishop  De  Lancey. 
In  charge  of  churches  at  Richmond,  N.  Y.,  Brockport,  LeRoy 


264         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

and  East  Bloomfield,  W.  New  York;  St.  George's,  Astoria, 

N.  Y.;  Christ  Church,  Detroit,  Mich.;  Assistant  St.  George's 
New  York.     Died  January  1st,  1865. 

Elliott  Dunham  Tomkins.  A  member  of  the  Sunday- 
school  and  a  lay -reader  in  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation, 
Graduated  in  1858  by  the  College  of  the  City  of  New  York. 
Studied  at  the  Theological  Seminary,  Alexandria;  ordained 
deacon  in  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation,  November  21st,  1862, 
and  after  ordination  assistant  at  the  Church;  ordained  priest 
in  Christ  Church,  Bay  Ridge,  N.  Y.,  in  1864,  by  Bishop  Horatio 
Potter.  Rector  of  St.  John's,  Northampton,  Mass.,  1865; 
Church  of  Our  Saviour,  Longwood,  Mass.  1868;  and  of  St. 
James'  Church,  Long  Branch,  N.  J.,  1873  to  1896.  His  father 
was  a  member  of  the  first  vestry,  and  his  only  brother  is  the 
Rev.  Floyd  W.  Tomkins,  D.D.,  of  Philadelphia. 

William  Bryce  Morrow,  in  charge  of  the  chapel  1863. 
Graduated  General  Theological  Seminary  1863;  ordained 
deacon  January  28th,  1863,  by  Bishop  Horatio  Potter;  curate 
at  Calvary,  New  York;  rector,  Greenbush,  N.  Y.,  Peoria,  111., 
Easton,  Pa.,  Reading,  Pa.,  Sayre,  Pa.,  Carlisle,  Pa.,  Frankfort, 
Pa.     Died  May,  1908. 

Benjamin  S.  Huntington,  in  charge  of  the  chapel  1865-66. 
Ordained  April  26th,  1840,  by  Bishop  B.  T.  Onderdonk. 
Rector  of  St.  John's  Church,  Cornwall,  N.  Y.  Died  April  1st, 
1880,  aged  66  years. 

William  Percy  Browne,  in  charge  of  the  chapel  1866-7. 
Born  in  Dublin.  Educated  Philadelphia  Divinity  School  1864; 
ordained  deacon  1866  by  Bishop  Horatio  Potter.  Curate 
Ascension  Church,  New  York;  rector  St.  Philip's,  Philadelphia, 
St.  James'  Roxbury,  Mass.  1871-1901.  Died  October  1st, 
1901. 

Nathaniel  L.  Briggs,  in  charge  of  the  chapel  1867-71. 
Ordained  deacon  July  12th,  1865,  by  Bishop  Burgess;  rector  of 
Christ  Church,  Bridgeport,  Conn.;  Emmanuel  Church, 
Philadelphia;  St.  Mark's  Mission,  New  York  City.  Died  in 
Brooklyn,  March  25th,  1893. 


Carlisle  Norwood 


Abraham  C.  Pulling 


Herbert  Valentine  James  M.  Constable 

WARDENS  AND  VESTRYMEN 


BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  265 

RuFUS  Wheelwright  Clark,  assistant  at  the  church  1867. 
Born  May  29th,  1844.  Graduated  Williams  College  1865  and 
General  Theological  Seminary  1868.  Ordained  deacon  by 
Bishop  Clark,  June  23d,  1867;  and  priest  June  30th,  1868. 
assistant  at  Calvary  Church,  New  York  1808;  rector  St.  John's, 
Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  1868-71;  Trinity  Church,  Columbus,  O., 
1871-7;  St.  Paul's,  Detroit,  Mich.  1877-1906.  Secretary  of 
Fifth  Department  Board  of  Missions.  Died  January  10th, 
1909. 

Haslett  McKim,  Jr.,  assistant  at  the  church  1869-71. 
Educated  at  University  of  Virginia,  Harvard  University  and 
Theological  Seminary,  Alexandria.  Ordained  deacon  June 
25th,  1869,  by  Bishop  Johns,  and  priest  in  1870.  Subsequently 
rector  at  New  Windsor,  N.  Y.,  1872-83;  Navesink,  N.  J., 
1883-94;  and  rector  emm/ws  till  his  death.  Dean  of  New  York 
Training  School  for  Deaconesses  1890-1899,  Hobart  College 
honored  him  with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity.  Died 
June  4th,  1908,  aged  sixty-five  years. 

William  T.  Egbert,  in  charge  of  the  chapel  1871-2.  Gen- 
eral Theological  Seminary  class  1855.  Ordained  deacon  May 
13th,  1868, by  Bishop  Smith;  priest  by  Bishop  Horatio  Potter, 
1871;  assistant  Grace  Parish,  New  York;  rector  of  St.  John  the 
Evangelist,  N.  Y.;  rector  of  Grace  Church,  Madison,  N.  J. 
Died  September  23d,  1886. 

Robert  Woodward  Barnwell  Elliott,  in  charge  of  the 
chapel  in  1871.  Born  Beaufort,  S.  C,  1840;  educated  General 
Theological  Seminary.  Ordained  deacon  by  Bishop  Quin- 
tard  1868,  and  priest  by  Bishop  Beckwith  1871;  consecrated 
Bishop  of  Western  Texas  1874.     Died  August  26th,  1887. 

Ephraim  Soliday  Widdemer,  in  charge  of  the  chapl  1872- 
82.  Ordained  deacon  October  3d,  1858,  by  Bishop  Horatio 
Potter.  Rector  at  Stillwater,  N.  Y.,  Troy,  N.  Y.,  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  Christ  Church,  Yonkers.  Died  June  10th,  1901,  aged 
77  years. 

J.  Newton  Perkins,  in  charge  of  the  chapel  1882-1895. 
Ordained  deacon  1877  and  priest  1879  by  Bishop  Horatio 


266         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

Potter;  formerly  rector  of  Emmanuel  Church,  Islip,  L.  I.; 
assistant  St.  Ann's,  Brooklyn;  in  charge  of  St.  George's,  New 
York;  rector  of  Christ  Church,  Bellport,  L.  I.;  Corresponding 
Secretary  of  the  American  Church  Building  Fund  Commission. 

Arthur  W.  Hess,  assistant  at  the  chapel  1886-7.  Educa- 
ted University  of  Pennsylvania,  Rugby  Academy  and  General 
Theological  Seminary  class  of  1886.  Ordained  deacon  1886, 
priest  1887  by  Bishop  Potter;  rector  of  All  Saints'  Church, 
Worcester,  Mass.;  St.  John's,  Framingham,  Mass.;  Trinity 
Church,  CoUingdale,  Pa.;  Church  of  the  Advent,  Cape  May, 
N.J. 

Eliot  White  was  an  attendant  at  the  parish  Sunday- 
school  from  1882  for  several  years.  Mr.  White's  canonical 
papers  for  ordination  were  signed  by  the  rector  and  vestry  of 
the  Incarnation  in  1892  and  he  was  ordained  deacon  in  1895 
and  priest  in  1897,  by  Bishop  H.  C.  Potter.  The  Rev.  Dr. 
Brooks  had  engaged  Mr.  White  to  be  the  assistant  minister 
of  the  parish  beginning  in  the  fall  of  1895;  the  death  of  the 
rector,  however,  cancelled  this  arrangement.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
White  preached  his  first  sermon  in  this  church  on  the  after- 
noon of  his  ordination.  Trinity  Sunday,  June  9th,  1895. 

William  Hyde,  assistant  at  the  church  1887.  Born  in 
Ireland,  graduated  from  Kenyon  College  and  from  Bexley 
Hall,  1867.  Ordained  deacon  1867  and  priest  1868.  Rector 
of  the  Church  of  the  Atonement,  and  the  Incarnation,  Brook- 
lyn.    Died  December  1st,  1908,  aged  85  years. 

Samuel  H.  Bishop,  assistant  at  the  church  1891-2.  Edu- 
cated at  the  University  of  Vermont  in  the  class  of  1886, 
graduated  from  the  Union  Theological  Seminary  in  1891, 
Columbia  1892,  studied  in  the  University  of  Berlin  1897-8, 
and  at  Oxford  1898-9.  Ordained  deacon  1891,  and  priest  1891 
by  Bishop  Potter.  Rector  of  St.  Andrew's,  South  Orange, 
N.  J.;  St.  Stephen's,  Colorado  Springs;  in  charge  of  All  Souls* 
Church,  New  York.  General  Agent  of  the  American  Church 
Institute  for  Negroes. 


Francis  L.  Stetson 


Montgomery  H.  Clarksom 


Waldron  p.  Brown 


James  McLean 


WARDENS  AND  VESTRYMEN 


BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  267 

James  G.  Lewis,  D.D.,  in  charge  of  the  chapel  1895-98. 
Ordained  deacon  1886,  priest  1887,  in  Toronto;  assistant  St. 
Alban's  Cathedral,  Toronto;  rector  of  Trinity,  Fostoria,  and 
Findlay,  Ohio;  curate  at  Calvary  Church  and  the  Transfigu- 
ration, New  York. 

Charles  Knowles  Penney,  assistant  at  the  church  1892. 
Born  in  Suffolk  County,  N.  Y.  Educated  at  Knox  College, 
Galesburg,  111,  Tutor  Seabury  Divinity  School,  Faribault 
General  Theological  Seminary,  1882.  Ordained  deacon  1882 
by  Bishop  Alexander  Burgess,  priest  1884.  Assistant  St. 
James',  Philadelphia,  and  Grace  Church,  Philadelphia;  Church 
of  the  Ascension,  West  Brighton,  S.  I.;  rector  of  St.  Paul's, 
Glen  Loch,  Pa. 

Francis  Edward  McManus  was  a  Sunday-school  teacher 
at  the  chapel  from  1880  to  1886  and  was  also  a  lay- 
reader.  He  entered  the  Virginia  Theological  Seminary  as  a 
candidate  from  the  Church  of  the  Incarnation.  Upon  his 
graduation  he  was  ordained  by  Bishop  Tuttle  deacon  in  1889 
and  priest  in  1890.  His  parishes  have  been  St.  Paul's,  St. 
Louis,  Mo.;  Tuscon,  Arizona;  Salem,  Lisbon  and  Medina, 
Ohio;  and  since  1904  he  has  been  rector  of  Trinity  Church, 
Upper  Marlboro,  Md. 

John  Campbell,  Ph.D.,  assistant  at  the  church  1896-97. 
Educated  at  City  College  of  New  York,  Columbia  University, 
General  Theological  Seminary  1894,  Ph.D.;  University  of  the 
City  of  New  York.  Ordained  deacon  in  1894,  priest  inl895 
by  Bishop  H.  C.  Potter;  assistant  at  St.  Paul's,  New  Haven, 
Conn.;  present  rector  Church  of  the  Mediator,  New  York  City. 

Thomas  Frederick  Da  vies,  Jr.,  curate  1897-1900.  Gradu- 
ated, Yale  University  1894:  General  Theological  Seminary 
1897;  ordained  deacon  in  1897,  priest  1898  by  Bishop  Davies, 
(his  father).  Rector  of  Christ  Church,  Norwich,  Conn.;  of 
All  Saints'  Church,  Worcester,  Mass.;  secretary  Council  of 
First  Missionary  Department  and  member  of  the  Board  of 
Missions.  Degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity,  General  Theological 
Seminary  1911;  member  of  the  Standing  Committee  of  the 


268         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

diocese  of  Western  Massachusetts  and  Diocesan  Board  of 
Missions,  deputy  to  General  Convention,  examining  chaplain 
and  Chairman  of  Social  Service  Committee.  Consecrated 
Bishop  of  Western  Massachusetts,  October  18th,  1911. 

Henry  Rawle  Wadleigh,  vicar  1898-1903.  Educated  at 
Harvard  University  1892 ;  Theological  School,  Cambridge 
1896.  Ordained  deacon  1896,  by  Bishop  Lawrence,  priest  1898 
by  Bishop  Potter,  Assistant  at  Grace  Church,  New  York, 
rector  St.  James',  Greenfield,  Mass.;  Church  of  the  Ascension; 
Munich,  Germany;  present  rector  St.  James'  Church,  Florence, 
Italy. 

Horace  Clarke  Hooker,  assistant  at  chapel  1898-1900, 
curate  1900-1901.  Born  in  Cooperstown,  N.  Y.  Graduated  from 
Hobart  College  1893,  and  from  General  Theological  Seminary 
1898.  Master  of  St.  Mark's  School,  Southborough,  Mass. 
Ordained  deacon  1898;  priest  May  27th,  1899,  by  Bishop 
Potter.  Died  February  9th,  1901,  aged  thirty  years.  Buried 
"on  the  beautiful  hillside  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Otsego, 
Cooperstown." 

Frank  Ernest  Aitkins,  curate  1901-5.  Born  in  England, 
graduated  Berkeley  Divinity  School  1898,  ordained  deacon  in 
1898,  and  priest  in  1899,  by  Bishop  Brewster.  Curate  of 
Trinity  Church,  Lenox,  Mass.;  rector  of  St.  George's,  Lee, 
Mass.;  dean  Trinity  Cathedral,  Michigan  City,  Ind.;  Secretary 
of  Standing  Committee  diocese  of  Michigan  City;  curate 
Church  of  the  Advent,  Boston,  Mass. 

George  Biller,  Jr.,  vicar  1903-8.  Born  in  London,  Eng- 
land, educated  St.  Austin's,  Staten  Island;  Berkeley  Divinity 
School  1898;  ordained  deacon  1898,  by  Bishop  Starkey,  priest  in 
1898  by  Bishop  Brooke.  Missionary  Lehigh,  I.  T.,  superinten- 
dent All  Saints' Hospital,  member  Council  of  Advice,  McAlester; 
dean  of  Calvary  Cathedral,  Sioux  Falls,  S.  D.;  registrar  of 
South  Dakota;  examining  Chaplain.  Consecrated  mission- 
ary Bishop  of  South  Dakota,   September  18th,  1912. 

Rockland  Tyng  Homans,  curate  1904-1910.  Educated 
Columbia  University  and  at   General   Theological  Seminary; 


Charles  Lanier 


John  A.   McKim 


George  F.  Butte rworth 


John  Innes  Kane 


WARDENS  AND  VESTRYMEN 


BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTES  269 

ordained  deacon  in  1896,  priest  in  1898  by  Bishop  H.  C.  Potter. 
Assistant  St.  Matthew's  Church,  New  York;  rector  of  Grace, 
Whitestone,  L.  I.;  present  rector  of  Grace,  Jamaica,  L.  I. 
Degree  B.  D.  Union  Seminary  1907, 

Philip  Cook,  curate  1904-8,  vicar  1908-11.  Educated 
public  school,  Kansas  City,  Mo.;  Trinity  College  1898,  Gen- 
eral Theological  Seminary  1902,  ordained  deacon  and  priest 
by  Bishop  Mann,  1902.  Missionary  northwestern  part  of 
North  Dakota,  in  charge  of  six  missions.  Rector  of  St. 
Mark's  Church,  San  Antonio,  Texas. 

William  B.  Lusk,  assistant  at  the  chapel  1908-9.  Educa- 
ted at  the  Royal  University  of  Ireland,  General  Theological 
Seminary  1897,  ordained  deacon  1908  and  priest  1909,  by  Bish- 
op Greer.  In  charge  St.  Luke's  Chapel,  Sterlington,  N.  Y.; 
priest-in-charge,  St.  Eustace-by-the-Lakes  and  St.  Hubert's 
Lake  Placid,  N.  Y.;  present  rector  of  St.  Luke's,  Saranac  Lake, 
N.  Y. 

Joseph  Peck  Robinson,  assistant  at  the  chapel  1909-11. 
Educated  Columbia  University,  Princeton  Theological  Semi- 
nary and  Oxford  University.  Ordained  deacon  1909  and  priest 
1909  by  Bishop  Lines.  In  charge  of  St.  George's  Mission, 
Passaic,  N.  J. 

Edward  M.  H.  Knapp,  curate  1910;  vicar  1911.  Graduated 
Hobart  College  1898,  General  Theological  Seminary  1902. 
Ordained  deacon  1902.  and  priest  1903  by  Bishop  Walker. 
Rector  of  St.  Stephen's,  Buffalo,  N.  Y.;  vicar  of  San  Salvatore, 
N.  Y.;  chaplain  New  York  Fire  Department.  Present  vicar 
at  the  chapel. 


APPENDIX 


Samuel  Riker,  Jr. 


Gherardi  Davis 


Frederick  E.  Hyde  Edwin  H.  Weatherbee 

WARDENS  AND  VESTRYMEN 


APPENDIX  271 

PAROCHIAL  ACTS 

Baptisms  during  the  Rectorship  of 

Rev.  Mr.  Harwood 13 

Rev.  Dr.  Montgomery 716 

Rev.  Dr.  Brooks 367 

Rev.  Dr.  Grosvenor 259 

Rev.  Mr.  Rob  bins 8 

Total,     1363 

Confirmations  during  the  Rectorship  of 

Rev.  Mr.  Harwood         27 

Rev.  Dr.  Montgomery      ....       464 

Rev.  Dr.  Brooks 368 

Rev.  Dr.  Grosvenor 288 

Rev.  Mr.  Robbins 6 

Total,     115S 

Marriages  during  the  Rectorship  of 
Rev.  Dr.  Montgomery        ....    291 

Rev.  Dr.  Brooks 238 

Rev.  Dr.  Grosvenor 285 

Rev.  Mr.  Robbins        6 

Total,       820 

Burials  during  the  Rectorship  of 
Rev.  Dr.  Montgomery        ....    402 

Rev.  Dr.  Brooks 316 

Rev.  Dr.  Grosvenor 325 

Rev.  Mr.  Robbins        13 

Total,     1056 
Summary  of  Pastoral  Acts  in  the  Parish 

Baptisms  Confirmations       Marriages  Burials 

Church    .    1363      1153       820      1056 
Mission  Chapel  2590      1013      1146      1249 

3953      2166      1966      2305 


272         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

ANNUAL  RECEIPTS 

The  following  statement,  taken  from  the  several  annual 
reports  to  diocesan  convention,  shows  the  receipts  from  all 
sources,  including  church  collections  and  contributions. 

1855 $1,125.64  1886 $48,994.17 

1856 3,222.73  1887 39,752.92 

1857 5,647.97  1888 40,914.17 

1858 12,600.58  1889 51,100.17 

1859 27,025.30  1890 48,218.77 

I860 20,886.54  1891 44,762.90 

1861 18,963.10  1892 46,482.12 

1862 15,679.97  1893 56,794.86 

1863 42,959.85  1894 50,570.16 

1864 44,750.03  1895 59,074.25 

1865 79,805.16 


1866 32,477 .  09                  (Dr.  Brooks)  $799,991.82 

1867-8 42,000.00  ^898 $81,555.09 

1869 29,451.21  i897 123,813.24 

1870 36,485.00  jggg  77  326  76 

1871 40,000.00  ^899!:  '.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.  78^485:30 

1872 35,000.00  ^q^q 73,233.28 

1873 37,700.00  igQ^ 130,024.08 

1874 28,000.00  ^902 123,710.07 

1903* 236  205  37 

(Dr.  Montgomery)  $553.780.17      jqq^  " ' '  '  * '    * ' ' ' '        169^370 '.  47 

1875 "$9,009.00      1905 159,022.78 

1876 22,206.53       1906 133,590.79 

1877 25,372.92      1907 113,816.41 

1878 37070.93       1908 150,000.97 

1879 26,281.66       1909 161,285.64 

1880 23  004.96      1910 163,307.05 

1881 26,426.51       1911 121,385.33 

1882 24,885.36                                         

1883 29,854 .  83  (Dr.  Grosvenor)  $2,096,132 .  63 

1884 43,033.54                                        

1885 46,181.09  Totalin 60 years..  $3,449,904.62 

*This  year  the  receipts  of  money  from  all  sources  reached  high-water 
mark: — the  largest  amount  ever  raised  in  the  parish.  The  figures  given 
include  the  contributions  for  building  the  Constable  Memorial  Chapel, 
the  Alfred  Corning  Clark  Memorial  Chapel,  East  Thirty-first  Street,  and 
the  finishing  of  the  parish  house. 


Tapping  R.  Chipman  Elliott  Dunham  Tomkins 


Wm.  Percy  Browne 


RuFUS  W.  Clark 


ASSISTANT  MINISTERS 


APPENDIX  273 

CLERKS  OF  THE  VESTRY 

1852  Charles  H.  Smith  1883  Francis  Lynde  Stetson 

1855   Floyd  W.  Tomkins  1890  Frederick 'e.  Hyde 

1859  William  B.  Gierke  1896  Herbert  Valentine 

1876  Woodbury  G.  Langdon  1906  George  F.  Butterworth 

TREASURERS  OF  THE  PARISH 

1852  Christopher  S.  Bourne  1870  Henry  A.  Oakley 

1855  J.  B.  Vandervoort  1875  Edgar  M.  Crawford 

1856  George  F.  Nesbitt  1891  Waidron  P.  Brown 

SUPERINTENDENTS  OF  THE  PARISH  SUNDAY- 
SCHOOL 

David  Clarkson  Jr.  F.  West  McDonald 

John  Davenport  Rev.  J.  G.  Lewis 

Philip  Pritchard  Rev.  William  Hyde 

Henry  A.  Oakley  Rev.  John  Ca,mpbell 

Lewis  F.  Therasson  Rev.  Thomas  F.  Davies  Jr. 

George  N.  Hale  Rev.  Horace  C.  Hooker 

Francis  Lynde  Stetson  Rev.  F.  E.  Aitkins 

Rev.  S.  H.  Bishop  Rev.  Rockland  Tyng  Homana 

Rev.  Charles  K.  Penney  Rev.  E.  M.  H.  Knapp 

SUPERINTENDENTS  OF  CHAPEL  SUNDAY  SCHOOL 

Riley  A.  Brick  Rev.  Newton  Perkins 

Henry  Taylor  John  T.  Ijams 

H.  W.  Curtis  William  R.  Sheffield 

J.  Hobart  Herrick  Rev.  Henry  R.  Wadleigh 

Henry  H.  Truman  Rev.  George  Biller,  Jr. 

John  T.  Ijams  Rev.  Philip  Cook 

Frederick  T.  West  Rev.  Edward  M.  H.  Knapp 

ORGANISTS  AT  THE  CHURCH 

1853— L.  E.  Seidell.  1870— Geo.  F.  Seargent. 

1855— Dr.  Waite.  1872— Col.  Chas.  C.  Dodge 

1860— Charles  Jerome  Hopkins.  1873— Mr.  Babcock. 

1861— W.  E.  Beames.  1875— W.  G.  Ward. 


274         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

1876— Carl  Walters.  1884— Miss  M.  Augusta  Lowell. 

1882— Frederick  A.  Archer.  1890— Miss  Charlotte  Welles. 

1896-12— Warren  R.  Hedden. 


ORGANISTS  AT  THE  CHAPEL 

1859— Dr.  Whitehead.  1894— John  Erickson. 

1862— F.  E.  Dethridge.  1896— Charles  H.  Wright. 

1867— Theodore  Williams.  1897— Walter  O.  Wilkinson. 

1872— S.  A.  Ward . .  1898— Otto  Kinkeldey. 

1874— Miss  Irene  Widdemer.  1902— Gottlieb  Federlein. 

1882— Scott  Washington.  1903— J.  Stanley  Farrar. 

1887— Miss  H.  B.  Judd.  1904— Miss  Haines. 

1888— Miss  Bertha  Thomass.  1907— Henry  Glaeser. 

1892— E.  Blount  Greene.  1908— August  A.  Kimmel. 

PARISH  VISITORS 

1878— Miss  Hester  Downing.  1883— Miss  Ellen  M.  Tuffts. 

1880— Mrs.  Cooper.  1889— Mrs.  Louisa  H.  Gates. 

1881— Mrs.  Amelia  Pratt.  1895 — Miss  Esther  C.  Fitzmaurice 


PARISH  PHYSICIANS 

1881— Dr.  LeBaron  Hart.  1896— Dr.  Vanderpoel  Adriance. 

1883— Dr.  William  G.  Robinson.        1901— Dr.  Edwin  Holmes. 
1902— Dr.  Samuel  M.  Evans. 


PARISH  NURSES 
1896 — Miss  Carrie  Magee.  1897 — Miss  Alice  Emmons. 

SEXTONS  AT  THE  CHURCH 

1852— John  Upton.  1875— J.  P.  Tibbits. 

1859— William  Lewers.  1884— Charles  P.  Jackson. 


SEXTONS  AT  THE  CHAPEL 

1861 — Joseph  Twamley.  1890 — George  C.  Ransom. 

1862— F.  F.  Hair.  1892— Francis  E.  Morgan. 

1887— Samuel  McCaslin.  1897— J.  L.  Wilson. 

1886— John  Wilcox.  1898— Albert  Frederickson. 

1888— William  H.  Bender.  1899— George  M.  Blume. 


Nathaniel  L.  Bkiggs 


Haslett  McKim,  Jr. 


Robert  W.   B.  Elliott 


William  T.  Egbert 


ASSISTANT  MINISTERS 


APPENDIX  275 

DELEGATES  TO  DIOCESAN  CONVENTION 
1852-1912 

1852 — Christopher  S.  Bourne,  Charles  H.  Smith. 

1853  to  1856  inc. — Murray  HoSfmau,  John  Jay,  John  Davenport. 

1857 — Murray  Hoffman,  John  Davenport,  F.  W.  Tomkins. 

1858 — Murray  Hoffman,  WilHam  Tracy,  Charles  E.  Milnor. 

1859 — Murray  Hoffman,  William  Tracy,  Charles  E,  Milnor. 

1860— William  Tracy,  Samuel  M.  Valentine,  William  B.  Clerke. 

1861— William  Tracy,  Samuel  M.  Valentine,  WiUiam  B.  Clerke. 

1862 — WiUiam  Tracy,  George  F.  Nesbitt,  Samuel  M.  Valentine. 

1863— Samuel    M.   Valentine,   George   F.   Nesbitt,  Edgar   M. 
Crawford. 

1864 — Henry  A.  Oakley,  Louis  F.  Therasson,  William  B.  Clerke. 

1865 — George  F.  Nesbitt,  Henry  Eyre,  Henry  A.  Oakley. 

1866 — George  F.  Nesbitt,  Henry  Eyre,  Edgar  M.  Crawford. 

1867 — Louis  F.  Therasson,  A.  F.  Higgins,  William  G.  Ward. 

1868 — George  F.  Nesbitt,  J.  Hobart  Herrick,  Garris  C.  Fahnestock. 

1869 — Henry  Eyre,  Henry  A.  Oakley,  John  Davenport. 

1870— Henry  Eyre,  Samuel  M.  Valentine,  William  B.  Clerke. 

1871 — Henry  Eyre,  Henry  A.  Oakley,  John  Davenport. 

1872 — Henry  Eyre,  William  B.  Clerke,  John  Davenport. 

1873— William  B.  Clerke,  Edgar  M.  Crawford,  Charles  B.  Fosdick. 

1874 — Samuel  M.  Valentine,  Louis  F.  Therasson,  Henry  A.  Oakley. 

1875— Samuel  M.  Valentine,  Edgar  M,  Crawford,  Charles  B.  Fos- 
dick. 

1876— William  B.  Clerke,  John  L.  Riker,  Carlisle  Norwood. 

1877 — Louis  F.  Therasson,  Henry  A.  Oakley,  Woodbury  G.  Lang- 
don. 

1878— Edgar  M.  Crawford,  Charles  B.  Fosdick,  George  W.  Smith. 

1879 — Samuel  M.  Valentine,  John  A.  Riker,  Abraham  C.  Pulling. 

1880 — WiUiam  B.  Clerke,  Carlisle  Norwood,  Henry  A.  Oakley. 

1881 — Henry  A.  Oakley,  Woodbury  G.  Langdon,  Francis  L.  Stet- 
son. 

1882 — Henry  A.  Oakley,  Samuel  M.  Valentine,  Francis  L.  Stetson. 

1883 — Francis  L.  Stetson,  Edgar  M.  Crawford,  Carlisle  Norwood. 

1884 — Henry  A.  Oakley,  Edgar  M.  Crawford,  Carlisle  Norwood. 

1885 — Edgar  M.  Crawford,  Carlisle  Norwood,  John  Byers. 

1886 — Carlisle  Norwood,  John  Byers,  Frederick  E.  Hyde,  M.  D. 

1887 — Carlisle  Norwood,  John  Byers,  Frederick  E.  Hyde,  M.  D. 

1888  to  1891  inc.— Carlisle  Norwood,  Frederick  E.  Hyde,  M.  D., 
Francis  L.  Stetson. 

1892-1905  inc. — Francis  L.  Stetson,  Samuel  M.  Valentine,  Andrew 
C.  Zabriskie. 

1906-1912  inc. — Francis  L.  Stetson,  Andrew  C.  Zabriskie,  Frederick 
E.  Hyde,  M.D. 


276         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 
DELEGATES  TO  THE  ARCHDEACONRY 

Dr.  Frederick  E.  Hyde.  Mr.  John  T.  Ijams. 

Mr.  Albert  C.  Zabriskie. 

A  LIST  OF  PEW-OWNERS  IN  THE  CHURCH  AT  THE 
CORNER  OF  TWENTY-EIGHTH  STREET  (1855) 


North  Aisle 

Pew  No. 

Pew  No. 

5 

Charles  Mason. 

14 

William  E.  Treadwell. 

8 

William  H.  Thomas 

15 

W.  H.  Parsons. 

9 

Mr.  Caldwell. 

16 

William  Gale. 

11 

Gardiner  Pike. 

17 

Charles  E.  Milnor. 

12 

William  H.  Edwards. 

18 

S.  G.  Ogden. 

13 

William  Tracy. 

19 

D.  Clarkson  Jr. 

North  Transept 

Pew  No. 

Pew  No. 

21 

Paul  Rapelyea. 

23 

The  Rector's  Pew. 

22 

George  W.  Morrison. 

27 

George  F.  Nesbitt. 

North  Transept  Gallery. 

South  Transept  Gallery. 

Philip  Dater. 

Livingston  Livingston. 

Middle  Aisle 

Pew  No. 

Pew  No. 

32 

William  Hiistace. 

51 

J.  C.  Montgomery. 

33 

George  F.  Nesbitt. 

55 

Hugh  Macfarlane. 

34 

George  Greer. 

56 

Nathaniel  Pearce. 

35 

Mrs.  Henderson. 

57 

Dudley  M.  Ferguson. 

36 

William  Hegeman 

58 

Eugene  Schieffelin. 

37 

E.  M.  Ray. 

62 

Sidney  A.  Schieffelin. 

37 

Isaac  H.  Smith. 

63 

Robert  Campbell. 

38 

J.  W.  Southack. 

64 

Riley  A.  Brick. 

39 

States  M.  Mead. 

65 

WilHam  K.  Belcher. 

40 

Cornelius  VanHorn. 

66 

Henry  Eyre. 

41 

Joseph  N.  Barnes. 

67 

James  Irwin. 

42 

J.  W.  and  J.  A.  Harper. 

68 

P.  H.  Hodges. 

43 

James  A.  Miller. 

69 

John  Kerr. 

44 

John  H.  Earle. 

70 

William  B.  Scott. 

45 

Emiel  Heineman. 

71 

S.  M.  Valentine. 

46 

Daniel  Torrence. 

72 

William  K.  Belcher. 

E.    SOLIDAY     WlDDEMER 


J.    Newton    I'i.kkins 


Thomas   Fkedehu  k   Davies,  Jr.  Henry  R.   Wadleigh 


ASSISTANT  MINISTERS 


APPENDIX  277 

Pew  No.  Pew  No. 

73    C.  J.  Coggill.  74     William  B.  Gierke. 

75    James  Smith. 

South  Aisle 

90  C.  A.  Zabriskie  95    Mrs.  A.  M.  J.  Collins. 

91  Oscar  F.  Low.  96     William  H.  Shelton 

92  Louis  F.  Therasson.  100     Ezra  Bucknam. 

94     S.  W.  Roosevelt.  103     John  A.  Stoughtenburgh. 

CANDIDATES  FOR  HOLY  ORDERS 

WHOSE  CANONICAL  CERTIFICATES  WERE  OFFICIALLY  SIGNED  BY 
THE  RECTOR,  WARDENS  AND  VESTRYMEN  OF  THE  PARISH  OF 
THE  INCARNATION. 

1863— Elliott  Dunham  Tomkins 

1867— Rufus  W.  Clark 

1870— Haslett  McKim 

187^2- Reverdy  Estill 

1877 — J.  Newton  Perkins 

1886 — Francis  Edward  McManus 

1889— Hubert  Wetmore  Wells 

1891— Charles  DeW.  Bridgman,  D.D. 

1892— Eliot  White 

1897 — Anson  Phelps  Stokes,  Jr. 

1898 — Thomas  F.  Davies,  Jr.  (for  the  priesthood) 

1899 — -Horace  Clark  Hooker  (for  the  priesthood) 

1902— William  A.  Clark 

1907 — Richard  Townsend  Henshaw 

1908 — Richard  Townsend  Henshaw  (for  the  priesthood) 

THE  ENDOWMENT  FUNDS 

The  Church  of  the  Incarnation  Fund: 

Amount $163,599 .  35 

The  Louise  Easton  Memorial 5,000 .  00 

The  Maria  C.  Tailer  Memorial 500. 00 

The  Chapel  of  the  Incarnation  Fund: 

The  Pulling  Memorial 5,000 .  00 

The  Clinton  Ogilvie  Memorial 40,000 .  00 

The  George  W.  Smith  Memorial  Fund 

(given  by  Mrs.  Geo.  W.  CoUard) 20,000 .  00 

Medical  Fund 2,500.00 


278         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

St.  Luke's  Fund $1,286.31 

The  Chapel  Collection 100.00 

The  King's  Daughters 280.34 

The  Maria  Watson  Memorial  Fund 5,000 .  00 

The  Bethlehem  Day  Nursery  Fund: 

The  Hall  Fund  (founded  1902,  in  memory  of  John 

Hudson  Hall,  by  Mrs.  John  H.  Hall) 6,000 .  00 

The  Watson  Fund 500 .  00 

The  Clark  Fund 1,000. 00 

The  Fosdick  Fund 1,000.00 

The  Lanier  Fund 1,000.00 

The  Riker  Fund 500.00 

The  Coles  Fund  (founded  1904,  in  memory  of  Mary 

Albertina  Coles;  endowment  of  one  bed) 3,000.00 

The  Countess  Seilern  Fund  (founded  1904,  and  1907, 

in  memory  of  Antoinette,  Countess  Seilern,  by 

Mrs.    Anna   Woerishoffer;  endowment    of    five 

beds): 15,000.00 

The  Grant  Fund  (founded  1903,  in  memory  of  Wm. 

W.  Grant,  by  Mrs.  John  H.  Hall) 3,000 .  00 

The  Hall  Fund  (founded  1904,  in  memory  of  John 

Hudson  Hall,  by  request  of  Miss  Martha  J.  Hall) .  3,000 .  00 

The  Francis  Rokenbaugh  Davies  Fund 3,000 .  00 

From  a  Friend 1,000 .  00 

The  Bacon  Memorial  Fund  (founded  1910  in  memory 

of  Mrs.  Clara  Russell  Bacon  by  Mrs.  F.  E.  Lewis)  3,000 .  00 
Rector's  Discretionary  Fund:  Founded  1909. 

In  Memory  oi:  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  L.  Riker  by  their 

Children.) 10.000,00 

The  Francis  A.  Watson  Memorial 500 .  00 

The  Pension  Funds: 

Founded  in  1910  by  Mrs.  Clinton  Ogilvie 15,000 .  00 

The  Employment  Society  Fund:  Founded  1910. 

In  memory  of  Mrs.  Clara  Russell  Bacon,  by  Mrs. 

F.  E.  Lewis 2,000.00 

Totals 

Church $169,099.35 

Chapel 74,166.65 

Day  Nursery 41,000.00 

Rector's  Discretionary  Fund 11,500.00 

The  Pension  Funds 15,000.00 

The  Employment  Society  Fund 2,000.00 


$312,766.00 


Horace  C.   Hooker 


George  Biller,  Jr. 


I'liiLiP  Cook 


Edward  M.  H.   Knapp 


ASSISTANT  MINISTERS 


APPENDIX 


279 


SUBSCRIPTIONS  TO  BUILDING  FUND  OF  THE 
CHURCH  OF   THE  INCARNATION 


186S 


Mrs.  Zabriskie 

$500 . 00 

The  Misses  Maurice  . . . . 

150.00 

Hugh  M'Farlane 

250.00 

W.  E.  Treadwell 

400.00 

J.  K.  Warren 

300.00 

S.S.Ward 

100.00 

S.B.White 

250.00 

J.  C.  Montgomery 

250.00 

WiUiam  Judson 

600.00 

Marv  F,  Willis 

50.00 

John  R.Willis 

125.00 

J.  Hobart  Herrick 

300.00 

N.  G.  Kortright 

500.00 

William  F.  Piatt 

100.00 

George  W.  Morrison 

250.00 

Columbus  B.  Rogers .  .  .  . 

600.00 

William  Martm 

125.00 

Mrs.  Marv  Henderson. .  . 

100.00 

Thomas  B.  Tweddle 

500.00 

S.  M.Valentine 

500.00 

J.  B.  Vandervoort 

500.00 

Daniel  T.  Youngs 

250.00 

W.  R.  T.  Jones 

100.00 

P.  G.  Weaver 

250.00 

E.  R.  Dibblee 

250.00 

E.  M.  Crawford 

500.00 

W.B.  Gierke 

500.00 

C.  J.  Coggill 

500.00 

Messrs.  Harper 

250.00 

James  B.  Brewster 

250.00 

Mrs.  R.  J.  Chesebrough. 

250.00 

Maj.  Schieffelin  &  R.  J. 

Stebbins  Jr, 

250.00 

A.  Duryea 

250.00 

Mrs.  Robert  Campbell . . . 

500.00 

W.K.  Belcher 

300.00 

George  W.  Quintard 

500.00 

James  Campbell 

50.00 

J.  C.  Winans 

50.00 

W.  E.  Beames 

250.00 

E.  Bucknam 

150.00 

J.  W.  Southack $250.00 

John  Riley 500.00 

Clara  A.  Raymond 100 .  00 

R.D.Wood 50.00 

J.R.Harris 125.00 

W.M.Franklin 62.50 

J.J.  &E.  C.Owen 375.00 

Cyrus  Clark 250.00 

Isaac  H.Smith 250.00 

L.  Livingston 50 .  00 

R.  W.  Hurlbut 125.00 

S.  G.  Ogden 75.00 

James  A.  Roosevelt 100.00 

Alanson  S.  Jones 250.00 

Edward  Willis 150.00 

J.T.Young 150.00 

James  S.  Sturgis 625 .  00 

I.  T.WiUiams 250.00 

John  Kerr 500.00 

H.  Slack 75.00 

D,  P.  Barhydt 100.00 

George  Collins,  Jr 250.00 

JohnH.  Earle 337.50 

William  Hegeman 300.00 

Frances  A.  Thompson.  .  .  125.00 

JohnH.  Currie 100.00 

Emil  Heinemann 350.00 

C.J.  CoggiU 500.00 

Cornelius  VanHorn 200 .  00 

William  S.  Ward 1000.00 

W.E.  Beames 150.00 

W.  R.  Travers 500.00 

James  Irwin 250.00 

W.K.  Belcher 25.00 

George  Greer 600 .  00 

T.  N.  Hollister 375.00 

Henry  Johnson 375 .  00 

A.  Foster  Higgins 250  00 

Gardiner  Pike 250.00 

William  Martin 12.3  .  00 

Hugh  Macfarlain 250 .  00 


280 


THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 


William  H.  Shelton $500 .  00 

George  W.  Quintard 500.00 

Mrs.  Sarah  Robinson 400.00 

Mrs.  May  A.  Henderson .  100 .  00 

J.  W.  Southack 250.00 

C.  Clark 250.00 

William  Judson 600.00 

W.  R.  T.  Jones 100.00 

E.  Willis 150.00 

J.  R.  Willis 125.00 

Mary  Willis 50.00 

P.  G.  Weaver 250.00 

E.  M.  Crawford 500.00 

G.  W.  Morrison 250.00 

James  Campbell 50 .  00 

W.   H.   Sehieffelin   &  R. 

Stebbins,  Jr 250.00 

George  A.  Peters 100 .  00 

Henry  Eyre 600 .  00 

N.  G.  Kortright 500.00 

LeGrand  B.  Cannon 600 .  00 

W.H.Franklin 62.50 

J.  B.  Brewster 250.00 

W.  K.  Belcher 325.00 

John  C.  Montgomery 250 .  00 

W.    A.    Camp    &   Henry 

Graves,  Jr 100.00 

I.  T.  Williams 250.00 

E.J.  Owen 125.00 

T.  J.  Owen 250.00 

John  H.  Earle 337.50 

W.  Hegeman 300 .  00 

Preston  H.  Hodges 500.00 

Daniel  T.  Youngs 250.00 

James  S.  Sturges 625 .  00 

W.  E.  Beames 150.00 

R.D.Wood 50.00 

Messrs.  Harper 250 .  00 

E.  Bucknam 150 .  00 

James  A.  Roosevelt 100.00 

J.  R.  Harris 125.00 

R.  W.  Hurlbut 125.00 

James  Irwin 250 .  00 

J.  Kerr 500 .  00 

L.  Livmgston 50 .  00 

Mrs.  Stillman 300.00 


L.  M.  Hoffman $300.00 

E.  R.  Dibblee 250.00 

Henry  Slack 75 .  00 

C.  VanHorn 200.00 

John  Riley 500.00 

William  B.  Gierke 500.00 

Mrs.  Louisa  Bliven 500 .  00 

Emil  Heinemann 350 .  00 

Samuel  G.  Ogden 75 .  00 

George  Collins,  Jr 250.00 

F.  A.  Thompson 125.00 

J.  H.  Herrick 300.00 

W.  R.  Travers 500.00 

J.  H.  Currie 100.00 

J.  S.  Jones 250.00 

William  E.  Beames 250 .  00 

J.  B.  Vandervoort 500 .  00 

D.  P.  Barhydt 100 .  00 

H.  D.  Hunt 100.00 

Frank  Jaudon 50 .  00 

William  F.  Piatt 100.00 

Mrs.  R.  J.  Chesebrough.  .  250 .00 

Mrs.  G.  N.  Totten 250.00 

Isaac  H.  Smith 250 .  00 

Mrs.  Anna  M.  Lawrence.  400.00 

Amos  M.  Sackett 225 .  00 

Columbus   B.   Rodgers..  600.00 

S.  M.  Valentine 500 .  00 

J.  T.  Youngs 150.00 

T.N.  Hollister 375.00 

Samuel  B.  White 250 .  00 

Charles  Mason 50.00 

Robert  Campbell 500 .  00 

Mrs.  C.  E.  Johnson 375.00 

Foster  Higgins 250 .  00 

A.  Duryea 250.00 

Charles  Mason 50 .  00 

Riley  A.  Brick 500.00 

Samuel  Haight 200.00 

George  F.  Nesbitt 1000 .  00 

D.  H.  Hunt 100.00 

Henry  A.  Oakley 200 .  00 

George  W.  Smith 250.00 

Rev.  H.  E.  Montgomery.  475.09 


Total,       $47,200.09 


APPENDIX 


281 


PARISHIONERS  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  THE 
INCARNATION 


1912 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Aitken, 

Mr.  J.  W.  Alexander, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  M.  Alexander, 

Mrs.  John  E.  Alexandre, 

Miss  Alexandre, 

Mrs.  Charles  M.  Allin, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  W.  B.  Anderton, 

Dr.  Walter  P.  Anderton, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  L.  Andrews, 

Mrs.  Reginald  Anthon, 

Mrs.  D.  F.  Appleton. 

Mr.  James  W.  Appleton, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  R.  Appleton, 

The  Misses  Appleton, 

Mr.  F.  R.  Appleton,  Jr., 

Mr.  Charles  L.  Appleton, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lloyd  Aspinwall, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jos.  S.  Auerbach, 

The  Misses  Auerbach, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Marshall  Bacon, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  L.  B.  Bangs, 

Miss  Mary  E.  Bangs, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  T.  H.  Banks, 

Mrs.  J.  S.  Barnes, 

Miss  Barnes, 

Mrs.  Horace  Barnard, 

Miss  Barnard, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Horace  Barnard, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  G.  Bartol, 

Col.  and  Mrs.  E.  W.  Bass, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  J.  S.  Bassett, 

Mr.  Acton  Bassett, 

Mr.  Gerard  Beekman, 

Miss  Beekman, 

Mrs.  Edward  Bell, 

Mrs.  H.  Bement, 

Miss  Bement, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  C.  Besson, 

Miss  Besson, 

Mrs.  S.  A.  Billinge, 

The  Misses  Blake, 


Miss  Anna  M.  Bogert, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  N.  Borland, 

Mr.  James  W.  Bradin,  Jr., 

Mr.  P.  H.  Bradin, 

Miss  Bradin, 

Mrs.  H.  S.  Brooks, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  P.  Brown, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  W.  Brown, 

Mrs.  M.  T.  Brine, 

Miss  Dorothy  Bull, 

Messrs.     Kingsbury     and     Ludlow 

Bull, 
Mr.  W.  M.  Burns, 
Mr.  G.  H.  Burritt, 
The  Misses  Burritt, 
Mrs.  G.  H.  Butler, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  F.  Butterworth, 
Mr.  G.  Forrest  Butterworth, 
Mrs.  G.  H.  Byrd, 
Miss  Byrd, 
Mrs.  M.  G.  Carson, 
Gen.  J.  L.  Carter, 
Miss  Carter, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  W.  F.  Chappell, 
Mrs.  John  H.  Cheever, 
Miss  Cheever, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  L.  Cheney, 
The  Misses  Cheney, 
Miss  Florence  K.  Cheney, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  F.  Chester, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  O.  Choate, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  H.  Cisco, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  A.  Clark, 
Mr.  Edward  Severin  Clark, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  S.  C.  Clark, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  T.  L.  Clark, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  Clarkson, 
Miss  Clarkson, 
Mr.  M.  H.  Clarkson, 
The  Misses  Cockcroft, 
Miss  Coddington, 


282 


THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 


Mr.  William  B.  Coles, 

Miss  M.  D.  CoUamore, 

Mrs.  L.  H.  Collins, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  C.  Colt, 

Mrs.  S.  L.  Creutzborg, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  B.  Curry, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Wm.  Darrach, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  M.  A.  Darrach, 

Mr.  Fellowes  Davis, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rowland  Davis, 

The  Misses  Davis, 

Mr.  Howland  Davis,  Jr., 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gherardi  Davis, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  d'Hauteville, 

The  Messrs.  d'Hauteville, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Warren  Delano, 

The  Misses  Delano, 

The  Misses  Dibblee, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dickinson, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Alex.  Duane, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  M.  B.  DuBois, 

Mr.  W.  A.  DuBois, 

Miss  DuBois, 

Mrs.  L.  B.  Duryea, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  H.  Eagle, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  J.  C.  Edgar, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Newbold  Edgar, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  E.  Eliot,  Jr. 

Mr.  R.  W.  B.  Elliott, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  B.  Elmendorf, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  R.  Ely, 

Mr.  David  Ely, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  L.  Emmet, 

Mrs.  H.  W.  Everett, 

Mr.  Loyall  Farragut, 

Mr.  Miles  Farrow, 

Miss  E.  C.  Fitzmaurice, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  M.  Fleitman, 

Miss  Louise  Flint, 

Mrs.  John  G.  Floyd, 

Mrs.  S.  C.  Force, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  W.  Forsyth, 

Miss  Forsyth, 

Miss  Clara  H.  Fleetwood, 

Miss  Louise  Freeman, 

Miss  C.  L.  FreHnghuysen, 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Charles  P.  Fry, 

Miss  Furniss, 

Mrs.  Richard  Gambrill, 

Mr.  W.  L.  Gerish, 

Miss  Gerish, 

The  Misses  Gerson, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  Gherardi, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Gibney, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sam.  T,  Gilford, 

Miss  Ellen  G.  Gilbert, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sam.  A.  Goldschmidt, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  F.  G,  Goodridge, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  D.  Greene, 

Mr.  Allister  Greene, 

Mr.  E.  C.  Gregory, 

The  Misses  Gregory, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  D.  Griffin, 

Mrs.  Wm.  D.  Guthrie, 

Mrs.  John  H.  Hall, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  H.  Hall, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  J.  Hancy, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  S.  H.  Hanford, 

Miss  Hanford, 

Mr.  John  W.  Harper, 

Mrs.  James  Harper, 

Miss  Harper, 

Mr.  James  Harper, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  T.  Harbeck, 

Dr.  C.  J.  Harbeck, 

The  Misses  Harbeck, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  A.  Haskell, 

Miss  Haskell, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  W.  Haven, 

Mrs.  G.  G.  Haven, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  Hawkins, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  R.  Hedden, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  A,  P.  Heinze, 

The  Misses  Henley, 

Mr.  Sidney  Henshaw, 

Mr.  J.  H.  Henshaw, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  R.  Henschel, 

Mrs.  Herkimer, 

Miss  Herkimer, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  A.  K.  Hills, 

Mr.  A.  S.  Hills, 

Mrs.  W.  A.  Hitchcock, 


APPENDIX 


283 


The  Misses  Hitchcock, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Hone, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  R.  S.  Hooker, 

Miss  Emma  B.  Hopkins, 

The  Misses  Horn, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chas.  A.  Hudson, 

Mrs.  H.  B.  Hyde, 

The  Misses  Hyde, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  T.  Ijams, 

Mr.  J.  H.  Ijams, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  S.  Isham, 

The  Misses  Irving, 

Mrs.  J.  H.  Jacquelin, 

Miss  Jacquelin, 

Mr.  H.  T.  Jacquelin, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  H.  Jenney, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  H.  Jewett, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  M.  Johnson, 

Miss  Fanny  L.  Johnson, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  C.  Jones, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  I.  Kane, 

Mrs.  George  H.  Keim, 

Mrs.  John  H.  Kemp, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  D.  Kerr, 

Miss  Kerr, 

Mr.  E.  C.  Kerr, 

Mrs.  Clarence  Kerr, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Aug.  F.  King, 

The  Misses  King, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  D.  B.  King, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  G.  King, 

Mrs.  LeRoy  King, 

Messrs.  LeRoy  and  Fred.  King, 

Mrs.  Aug.  Kirkham, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  P.  Knapp, 

Mrs.  E.  S.  Knapp, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  S.  Knapp,  Jr. 

Mr.  J.  W.  Kohlsaat, 

The  Misses  Kohlsaat, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  W.  E.  Lambert, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  H.  Landon, 

The  Misses  Landon, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  V.  Z.  Lane, 

Miss  Lane, 

Mr.  Charles  Lanier, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  G.  Langdon, 


Miss  Helen  M.  Langdon, 

Mr.  W.  E.  Langdon,  Jr., 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  Langdon, 

Miss  C.  T.  Lawrence, 

Miss  K.  T.  Lawrence, 

Mrs.  C.  H.  Leland, 

Miss  E.  Leland, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  E.  Lewis, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lowell  Lincoln, 

Mrs.  Lowell  Lincoln,  Jr., 

Mr.  Fred  Lindberg, 

Mr.  D.  A.  Lindley, 

The  Misses  Lindley, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  P.  Livingston, 

Mrs.  H.  S.  Lottimer, 

Mrs.  David  Looney, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  P.  J.  McCook, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  McCracken, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  P.  McCulIough, 

Mr.  John  A.  McKim, 

Miss  S.  M.  McKim, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  T.  S.  McLane, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  McLean, 

The  Misses  McLean, 

Mrs.  J.  MacDonald, 
The  Misses  MacDonald, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robt.  Maclay, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Severo  Mallet- Pre vost 

Miss  Mallet-Prevost, 

Mr.  W.  M.  Martin, 

Miss  Martin, 

Mr.  Drelincort  Martin, 

Miss  F.  J.  Mead, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  E.  Meeker, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  T.  H.  Messenger, 

Miss  Messenger, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  B.  Meyer, 

Mr.  F.  Middlebrook, 

Miss  S.  L.  Middlebrook, 

Mrs.  C.  A.  Miller, 

Miss  W.  L.  Minor, 

Mr.  J.  G.  Mitchell, 

The  Misses  MoUer, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  E.  Montgomery, 

Mr.  A.  D.  Moran, 

Miss  Dorothy  Moran, 


284 


THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chas.  Moran, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Newbold  Morris, 

Mrs.  A.  J.  Moulton, 

Miss  May  Moulton, 

The  Misses  Muller, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  F.  W.  Murray, 

Miss  Caroline  Murray, 

Mr.  Francis  W.  Murray, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sam.  Norris, 

The  Misses  Northam, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  L.  Nichols, 

Mrs.  Clinton  Ogilvie, 

Mrs.  C.  V.  B.  Ostrander, 

Miss  M.  C.  Osborne, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  S.  R.  Outerbridge, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  S.  Palmer, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  N.  Paris, 

Mr.  W.  F.  Paris, 

The  Misses  Parkin 

Mr.  W.  Parkin, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  deB  Parsons, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Clarence  Pell, 

Mrs.  J.  H.  Pell, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  B.  Peirsel, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  S.  Pierce, 

Mrs.  A.  W.  Plimpton, 

Miss  Grace  Plimpton, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Albert  Plimpton, 

Miss  Pondir, 

Miss  Sally  W.  Poor, 

Mrs.  C.  Partridge, 

Mrs.  C.  T.  Poore, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  K.  Prentice, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  S.  Prentice, 

Mr.  W.  S.  P.  Prentice, 

Miss  Prentice, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  W.  B.  Potter, 

Mrs.  H.  S.  Pattison, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  T.  Pratt, 

Miss  Louisa  G.  Prince, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  H.  Proctor, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  D.  Pruyn, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  M.  T.  Pyne, 

Dr.  J.  D.  Quackenbos, 

Miss  Quackenbos, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  C.  E.  Quimby, 


Miss  Quimby, 

Miss  Marjorie  Rand, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  A.  Read, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  R,  Ei^d, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  P.  Read, 

Mr.  N.  F.  Read, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Whitelaw  Reid, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  O.  M.  Reid, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  D.  Remson, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sam.  Riker, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  L.  Riker, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  I.  Riker, 

Miss  M.  L.  Robbins, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  L.  Robbins, 

Mrs.  Geo.  Robbins, 

Mr.  Arden  M.  Robbins, 

Miss  H.  L.  Robbins, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  P.  Robbins, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  A.  Robbins, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  P.  Robbins, 

Mrs.  J.  J.  Roberts, 

Miss  J.  duB.  Roberts, 

Miss  Helen  Robertson, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Francis  Rogers, 

Mr.  H.  Livingston  Rogers, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  S.  Rokenbaugh, 

Mrs.  H.  L.  Roosevelt, 

Mrs.  James  Roosevelt, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  D.  Roosevelt, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  D.  Russell, 

Mr.  Archibald  Russell, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  H.  Russell, 

Judge  and  Mrs.  H.  Russell, 

Mrs.  Sackett, 

The  Misses  Sackett, 

Miss  Helen  G.  Sahler, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  L.  B.  Sanderson, 

Mrs.  Philip  J.  Sands, 

The  Misses  Sands, 

Miss  Mary  R.  Sanford, 

Mr.  Charles  E.  Sampson, 

Miss  Georgina  Sargent. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reeve  Schley, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  R.  Sheffield, 

Mr.  Ben  Sheffield, 

Miss  Sheldon, 


APPENDIX 


285 


Mrs.  F.  N.  Shimmin, 

Mrs.  Shippen, 

The  Misses  Shippen, 

Miss  Ettie  Shippen, 

Mrs.  H.  T.  Skelding, 

Mrs.  Henry  Slack, 

Miss  Slack, 

The  Misses  Smith, 

Mrs.  C.  K.  Sniffin, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  L.  Stetson, 

Miss  E.  C.  Stevens, 

Mrs.  I.  P.  Stephen, 

The  Misses  Stephen, 

Mr.  Charles  Stillman, 

The  Misses  Stillman, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  C.  Stillman, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  N.  R.  Stoddard,  Jr. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  P.  Stokes, 

Miss  Helen  Stokes, 

Mr.  Harold  Stokes, 

Mrs.  C.  A.  Stokes, 

Miss  Stokes, 

Mr.  W.  A.  Street, 

The  Misses  Street, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  C.  Sturges, 

Miss  Sturges, 

Mr.  Henry  Sturges, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chas.  Swords, 

The  Misses  Talcott, 

Miss  K.  McC.  Thompson, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  L.  Thornell, 

Miss  M.  L.  Tillotson, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  Q.  Trowbridge, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  B.  Tuckerman, 

Mr.  Bayard  Tuckerman, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  A.  Trotter, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  E.  Turnure, 

Mrs.  D.  M.  Turnure, 

Miss  Turnure, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  H.  Tweed. 

The  Misses  Tweed, 

Mr.  Harrison  Tweed, 

Mrs.  Marshall  Tevis, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  F.  Tyler, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  E.  Underhill, 

Mrs.  L.  G.  Underhill, 


Miss  Underhill, 

Miss  B.  A.  Upham, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  W.  A.  Valentine, 

Miss  Valentine, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Francis  Valk, 

Miss  Valk, 

Miss  Eliz.  Van  Boskirck, 

Mrs.  J.  H.  Van  Nostrand, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  B.  Van  Nostrand, 

Mrs.  Alex.  Van  Rensselar, 

Miss  Alice  Van  Rensselar, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Herman  Vogel, 

Miss  May  Vogel, 

Miss  Van  Stade, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  D.  F.  Wade. 

Miss  Wade, 

The  Messrs.  Wade, 

Mrs.  W.  P.  Wainwright, 

Mrs.  G.  C.  Ward, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  C.  Watson, 

Mrs.  M.  E.  Watson, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  C.  W.  Watson, 

Miss  Watson, 

Mrs.  E.  H.  Weatherbee, 

Miss  Weatherbee, 

Mr.  H.  Weatherbee, 

Mrs.  R.  S.  Webb, 

Mrs.  Oscar  B.  Weber, 

Mrs.  W.  J.  Weir, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  F.  D.  Weisse, 

Miss  H.  K.  Welles, 

Mr.  Benj.  Welles, 

Major  and  Mrs.  C.  W.  Whipple, 

Mr.  Walter  Whipple, 

Lieut.  S.  Whipple, 

Miss  E.  E.  Whitman, 

Mrs.  George  Whitney, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Orme  Wilson, 

Mr.  R.  T,  Wilson, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  O.  Wilson,  Jr., 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Eugene  Willard, 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  T.  Williams, 

The  Misses  Williams, 

Mr.  Henry  Williams, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  C.  M.  Williams, 

Mrs.  I.  T.  Williams. 


286         THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 

The  Misses  Willis,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Peter  WyckoS, 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  J.  E.  Winters,  Mrs.  J.  J.  Wysong, 

Mrs.  C.  F.  Woerishoffer,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  M.  Young. 

Miss  Wright,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A.  C.  Zabriskie, 

Mrs.  J.  E.  Zimmerman, 


INDEX 


Advent  Mission,  148;  parish  election, 
192. 

Amity  Association,  173,  228. 

Andrews,  Rev.  W.  G.,  tribute  to 
Rev.  Dr.  Harwood,  23. 

Anniversary  sermons,  34,  52,  65,  74, 
116,  163,  205,  206,  211,  234. 

Anniversary  services,  twenty-fifth 
at  the  church,  116;  thirtieth  at 
the  chapel,  163;  Dr.  Brooks' 
letter,  164;  Memorial  windows 
and  font,  165;  fiftieth  of  the  par- 
ish, 205;  laying  corner-stone,  205; 
Musical  festival,  206;  Dr.  Hunt- 
ington's sermon,  205;  Dr.  Gros- 
venor's  sermon,  206;  Sixtieth  pro- 
posed, 233;    abandoned,  £33. 

Annual  receipts,  272. 

Appearance  of  the  chapel,  37,  of  the 
new  church,  66. 

Assistant  ministers  263  to  269. 

Association  for  Home  Mission,  or- 
ganized, 45;  first  Board  of  Mana- 
gers, 46;  constitution  amended, 
216;   association  dissolved,  217. 

Atonement,  Church  of,  20. 

Barnard  College,  begun  by  Dr. 
Brooks,  174;  Millbank  Hall,  174; 
Honors  Dr.  Brooks,  174;  Brinck- 
erhoff  Hall,  175;  tribute  by  "The 
Outlook",  175. 

Bassett,  Miss  Laura,  220. 

Bethlehem  Chapel,  services  in,  141. 

Bethlehem  Day  Nurserj',  organized, 
165;  incorporated,  166;  gift  of 
Mrs.  Hall,  178;  title  to  the  proper- 
ty, 200;  Mrs.  John  Byers'  gift, 
200;  improvements  by  Mrs.  Mc- 
Lean, 201;   Miss  Perry,  201. 

Bishop  of  Ohio  consecration  Sermon, 
69. 

Biller,  Rev.  George,  Jr.,  217,  221. 

Biography  of  rectors,  pp.  243-253: 
of  wardens  and  vestrymen,  255-63. 

Boy  choir,  162,  163,  189. 

Bourne,  Christopher  S.,  junior 
warden,    10;    notifies    rector,    12; 


delegate    to    convention;    13,    ad- 
vances money,  14. 

Bradish,  Luther,  4,  14;  reports  con- 
tract signed,  44,  227. 

Brewster,  Rt.  Rev.  C.  B,  Sermon, 
211. 

Brick,  Riley  A.,  superintendent, 
resigns, 91 ;  letter  from  trustees,  91. 

Briggs,  Rev.  N.  L.,  rector,  85,  ad- 
vises dissolution;  86,  remains  as 
missionary,  86. 

Brinkerhoff  Hall,  Brooks  coat-of- 
arms,   175. 

Broadway  Tabernacle  thanked  by 
the  vestry,  131. 

Brooks,  Rev.  Arthur,  elected  rector, 
106;  accepts,  108;  visits  New 
York,  109;  anniversary  sermon, 
116;  sermon  after  the  fire,  129; 
letter  to  the  vestry,  131;  at  Wil- 
liams College  commencement, 
142;  assists  Bishop  Smith,  142; 
an  extempore  speaker,  143;  Beth- 
lehem Chapel,  144;  preached  or- 
dination sermon,  146;  visits  the 
Holy  Land,  149;  conducts  mission 
services,  166;  Quiet  Day,  166; 
degrees  conferred  upon,  167; 
letter  to  Rev.  Mr.  Canedy,  167; 
at  the  Church  Congress,  171;  at 
Richmond,  171;  Barnard  College, 
174;  failing  health,  180;  sails  for 
Europe,  180;  death  of,  180;  funer- 
al, 181;  minute  by  the  vestry, 
182;  tribute  of  sympathy,  182; 
Dr.  Huntington's  tribute,  182; 
successor  chosen,  184;  Mr.  Gros- 
venor's  reply,  184;  memorial  bed 
endowed,  185;  memorial  service 
to,  188;  Bishop  Potter's  tribute, 
188;  mural  tablet,  194;  unveil- 
ing of,  195;  Bishop  Potter's  let- 
ter, 196;  sermon  by  Rev.  John 
Cotton  Brooks,  196;  cottage  at 
IMohegan,  200;  parish  house,  203; 
dedicated,  210;  gifts  to,  211 ;  Libra- 
ry, 218;  biography,  247. 


288 


THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 


Brooks,  Bishop  Phillips,  175;  trib- 
ute by  the  vestry,  176;  me- 
morial proposed,  176;  executed, 
190;  described,   191. 

Brotherhood  of  St.  Andrew,  173. 

Brotherhood  of  the  Incarnation,  187. 

Browne,  Rev.  Wm.  P.,  85. 

Bryson,  Mrs.  P.  M.,  158,  200. 

Burning  of  the  church,  125;  a  Pres- 
byterian's  comment,    125. 

Candidates  for  Holy  Orders,  277. 

Carey  ordination,   12. 

Carmichael,  Rev.  Hartley,  148. 

Chapel  Leaflet,  226. 

Chapel  of  Grace,  statement,  4;  com- 
mittee on,  6;  site,  6;  environment, 
7;  described,  7;  title,  8;  minis- 
ters at  4,  8;  separation  asked  for, 
9;  leased  to  Incarnation,  14;  sold, 
39;  committee  appointed,  4,  37, 
38,   41,  46. 

Chapel  of  the  Nativity,  208. 

Chauncey,  Rev.  Dr.,  47,  49,  50. 

Children's   service,    173. 

Chinese  Sunday-school,  146. 

Chinese  babies,  148. 

Chipman,  Rev.  Tapping  R., appoint- 
ed, 46,  49,  50;  about  to  leave,  57; 
elected  rector,  58;    resigns,  85. 

Christmas  festival  of  Sunday- 
schools,  44,  150;  letter  from  the 
rector,  151. 

Churches  in  the  vicinity,  71. 

Church  Congress,  Dr.  Brooks,  171; 
Dr.  Harwood  (appendix). 

Church  Improvement   Fund,   92. 

Church  of  the  Incarnation,  Decatur, 
94. 

Church  Periodical  Club,  161. 

Church  Society,  140;  annual  festi- 
val, 154. 

Church  Temperance  Society  and 
Knights  of  Temperance,  155, 

City   Mission  Society,   13. 

Civil  War  experiences,  103. 

Clark,  Alfred  Corning,  interest  in 
the  music,  162;  bequest  of,  192; 
mural  tablet  to,  201;  memorial 
chapel,  204. 

Clark.  Mrs.  A.  C.  gift  of  portrait. 
219. 

Clark,  Edward  Severin,  offers  to 
build  chapel,  204. 

Clark,  Rev.  Rufus  W.,  88. 

Clerke,  William  B.,  death  of,  140; 
clerks  of  vestry,  273. 


Collard,  Mrs.  George  W.,  contribu- 
tion to  parish  house,  204;   gifts  to 

the    chapel,    210. 
Collections   in   church,   30,    35,   70; 

weekly   offertory,    81. 
Committee  of  House  of  Bishops,  22. 
Communion  table,  gift  of,  168. 
Confirmations  in  the  church,  17,  29, 

45. 
Consecration    of    new    church,    69; 

Bishop    of    Ohio's    sermon,     69; 

mournful  character  of  service.  72. 
Conventions,  diocesan,  91;  general, 

97. 
Cook,  Rev.  Philip,  221,   232. 
Corner-stones      laid,     chapel,      49; 

church,  63;   Alfred  Corning  Clark 

Memorial     Chapel,     205. 
Coxe,  Bishop,  addresses  the  children; 

his  Christmas  carol,    155. 
Crawford,  Col.  E.  M.,  on  building 

committee,  61;  resolution  by,  111; 

chairman     of     committee,      112; 

death    of,    199. 
Contributions,  to   Sheltering  Arms, 

82;     to  Mexico,   110;    to  foreign 

missions.   111. 

Davenport,  John,  senior  vestryman, 
10;  pew  committee,  15;  resigns 
from  the  vestry,  56;  death  of,  179; 
minute  by  the  vestry,  179;  me- 
morial to,  193. 

Davenport,  Mrs.  John,  memorial  in 
church,  193. 

Davies,  Rev.  Thomas  F.,  assistant 
minister,  198;  biography,  267. 

Debt  of  the  parish,  77,  80,  121. 

Delegates  to  Diocesan  Convention, 
275;  to  Archdeaconry,  276. 

DeMeH,  Henry  G.  D.,  226,  227. 

Denison,  Rev.  H.  M.,  missionary,  4. 

Denison.  Rev.  S.  D.,  in  charge,  19; 
thanked  by  vestry,  20. 

Diocesan  Convention,  first  dele- 
gates appointed,  13;  protest  of 
vestry  to,  78;  result  thereof,  80; 
Dr.  Montgomery's  sermon,  91; 
meets  in  the  church,  199. 

Dorcas  Society,  35, 

Dyer,  Rev.  Heman,  17. 

Easter  Festival  of  Sunday-schools, 
154;  letter  and  cablegram  from 
the  rector,  154. 

Easter,  in  a  Jewish  temple..  127. 


INDEX 


289 


Easton,  Miss,  gift  frora,  155;  en- 
dows bed,  224. 

Ecclesiastical  neighbors,  7. 

Egbert,  Rev.  William  T.,  mission- 
ary, 86;   appendix. 

Elliott,  Rev.  R.  W.  B.,  missionary, 
86;  elected  bishop,  86;  tribute  to 
Dr.  Montgomery,  99;  sails  for 
Europe,    149 

Endowment  Fund,   158,  277,  278. 

Emmegabowh,  Indian  Deacon,  31. 

Eyre,  Henry,  assumes  mortgage,  75; 
mortgage  paid,  77. 

Fair,  Rev.  Dr.,  missioner,  148. 

Farragut,  Admiral,  funeral  service, 
88;  Dr.  Montgomery's  address, 
88;  memorial  tablet  presented,  89; 
Dr.  Montgomery  accepts  it,  89; 
description  of  tablet,  90;  char- 
acter of  the  man,  90. 

Fiske,  Mrs.  Josiah  M.,  contribution, 
174,  190. 

Fitzmaurice,  Miss  E.  C,  165. 

Fosdick,  Charles  B.,  death  of  194; 

Free  sittings,  73. 

French,  Daniel  Chester,  artist,  194. 

Fresh  Air  Fund,  origin  of,  155;  at 
the  chapel,  156;  Lake  Mohegan, 
156 

Fuller,  Mrs.,  gift  to  chapel,  145; 
endows  bed,  224. 

Gates,  Mrs.  Louisa  H.,  parish  visit- 
or, 165;    ordered  deaconess,  165. 

General  Convention  inNew  York,97; 
missionary    bishops    elected,    97. 

General  Missionary  Society,  organ- 
ized, 187. 

German  services,  145. 

Gifts,  to  the  church,  69;  to  the 
chapel,  145. 

Girls'  Friendly  Society,  organized, 
155;  gift  of  Miss  Easton,  155;  re- 
organized, 220. 

Gotthiel,  Rabbi,  offers  Jewish 
temple,  126;  thanked  by  the  ves- 
try, 130;  letter  from,  179;  trib- 
ute to  Dr.  Brooks,  182. 

Grace  Church,  new  site,  1;  conse- 
cration, 2;  Dr.  Taylor's  sermon, 
2;  mission  chapel,  3;  takes  title, 
8;  grants  separation,  9;  leases 
chapel,  14;  reply  to  the  Incarna- 
tion, 37;  committee  of  confer- 
ence, 38;  final  offer  by,  39;  sells 
chapel,  74. 


Greer,  Bishop,  institutes  the  rector, 
232;  appoints  service  of  suppli- 
cation, 233. 

Grosvenor,  Rev.  William  M.,  elect- 
ed rector,  184;  letter  to  the  ves- 
try, 184;  Instituted  186;  change 
in  the  music,  189;  declines  call  to 
Trinity  Parish,  199;  resignation 
of,  229;  resolutions  by  the  vestry, 
230;  anniversary  sermon,  233;  bi- 
ography, 251. 

Growth  of  the  parish,  30. 

Hartt,  Dr.  Henry  LeBaron,  122. 

Harwood,  Rev.  Edwin,  assistant,  8; 
elected  rector,  12;  signs  bishop's 
testimonial,  13;  failing  health, 
16;  leave  of  absence,  16,  17;  his 
return,  18;  requests  assistant,  18; 
resignation,  19;  interest  in  Muh- 
lenberg memorial,  21,  22;  Dr. 
Andrews'  tribute  to,  22;  Dr. 
Means'  tribute  to,  23;  Dr.  Hunt- 
ington's tribute  to,  24,  25;  Drs. 
Washburn  and  Muhlenberg  hia 
friends,  25;  biography,  243. 

Hawks,  Rev.  Dr.,  gift  to  mission, 
145. 

Hedden,  W.  R.,  organist,  190. 

Heins  and  La  Farge.  168,  169,  189. 

Herrick,  J.  Hobart,  superintendent, 
112. 

Hess,   Rev.  Arthur,   149,   151,   154. 

Hoffman,  Hon.  Murray,  warden,  10; 
his  writings,  11;  chairman  of  Con- 
ference, Committee,  13;  delegate 
to  Convention,  13;  biography,  255. 

Hooker,  Rev.  Horace  C,  assistant 
minister,  198;  death  of,  202;  trib- 
ute of  Mission  Board,  202. 

Hopkins,  Charles  Jerome,  organist, 
contribution,  49;    boy  choir,  163, 

House  of  the  Holy  Comforter,  228. 

Huntington,  Rev.  William  R.,  ser- 
mon by,  11;  tribute  to  Dr.  Har- 
wood, 23;  to  Dr.  Brooks,  171,  182; 
anniversary  sermon  by,  205. 

Hustace,  E.  Treadwell,  legacy  of, 
51;    acknowledged  by  vestry,  52. 

Hyde,  Dr.  F.  E.,  Summer  Home 
Committee,  157;  builds  swim- 
ming pool,  158;  gives  Communion 
table,  168;  spire  committee,   169. 

Incarnation,  Parish  of,  incorporated. 
9;  first  vestry,  10;  origin  of  name, 
11;  rector  elected,  12;  finance, 
14,  15;    appeals  to  Grace  Church 


290 


THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 


for  aid,  14;  for  deed  of  building, 
16;  resolutions  of  Mr.  Jay,  15,  36; 

.  offer  by  Grace  Church,  37;  reply, 
38;  second  offer,  39;  vestry's 
acceptance,  39;  improvements 
contemplated,  40;  completed,  41; 
purchase  of  property,  44;  final 
payment,  48;  efforts  to  build,  59; 
sites  considered,  59;  lots  selected, 
60;  parish  meeting  decides,  60;  the 
money  subscribed,  60;  Building 
Committee,  61;  lots  paid  for,  61; 
designs  accepted,  62;  architect's 
plan,  62;  offer  for  the  old  church, 
62;  cornerstone  laid,  63;  de- 
scription of  the  church,  63;  open- 
ing service,  65;  rector's  sermon, 
65;his  description  of  the  church,66; 
consecrated,  69;  gifts  to  the 
church,  69;  second  offer  for 
old  church,  72;  mortgage  on 
church  proposed,  77;  indebted- 
ness of  the  parish,  77;  financial 
condition,  80;  121;  burning  of 
the  church,  125;  offers  of  hospi- 
tality, 126;  Jewish  temple  offer- 
ed, 126;  services  held  therein, 
126;  services  in  other  churches, 
127;  restoring  the  church,  128; 
letter  to  St.  George's  vestry, 
128;  reopened  for  service,  132; 
Watch  Night  service,  132;  dec- 
orations of  the  chancel,  146; 
Advent  Mission  services,  148; 
church  in  charge  of  the  assistant 
minister,  149;  Christmas  festi- 
val, 150;  Bishop  Coxe  present, 
151;  Easter  festival,  154;  new  or- 
gan, 161;  the  choir  reorganized, 
162;  Alfred  Corning  Clark's  as- 
sistance, 162;  the  spire  built,  169; 
Fiftieth  anniversary  services, 
205;  What  does  the  parish  stand 
for?  208;  Chapel  of  the  Nativity 
(Constable  Memorial),  208;  de- 
scribed, 209;   dedicated,  209. 

Ijams,  J.  T.,  window,  134;  super- 
intendent, 147:  Spire  Committee 
169. 

Ijams  Mrs.  J.  T.,  memorial  gift,  168. 

Jaggar,      Bishop,      confirmed,      29; 

reminiscences,  42. 
Jay,   John,    vestryman,   resolutions 

by,  15,  36. 
Judson,  William,  donates  a  lot,  62. 
July  draft  riots,  61,  71. 


Kellner,    Mrs.,   comment   by,    121; 

account  of  the  fire  125;     of  the 

music,  162. 
Kitchen  Garden,  112. 
Knapp,  Rev.  E.  M.  H.,  appointed 

vicar,  232. 

Ladies'  Association,  organized,  121. 

Ladies'     Benevolent     Society,     93. 

Ladies'  Committee  for  Foreign 
Work,  110. 

Ladies'     Missionary    League,     160. 

Ladies'  Missionary  Society,  or- 
ganized, 34;  protest  of  Mrs. 
Lawrence,  34;    Mrs.  Williams,  34. 

Lamb,  J.  and  R.,  designers  of 
Eagle  tablet,  136. 

LaFarge,  John,  chancel  paintings, 
133,  134,  146,  189. 

Langdon,  W.  G.,  account  of  bazaar, 
84;     Gift  of  portrait,  219. 

Lanier,  Charles,  gift  to  the  church, 
221. 

Letter,  from  Philadelphia  clergymen, 
27;  by  Mr.  Tomkins,  42;  by 
vestry,   75. 

Lincoln,  President,  assassination  of, 
72;     commemorative  service,  72. 

Low,  Mrs.  J.  T.,  organizes  day  nur- 
sery,   165. 

McAll  Mission,  225. 

McKim,  Haslett,  93,  265. 

McLean,  James,  spire  committee, 
169;  clergy  house  and  other  gifts, 
221. 

McLean,  Misses,  225. 

McNamara,  architect,  41. 

Madison  Square,  6. 

Managers  of  the  Home  Mission,  46. 

Mayer,     Rev.     Gustave     W.,     145. 

Means,  Rev.  Dr.  Stewart,  17;  trib- 
bute  to  Dr.  Harwood,  23. 

Medical  Department,  227. 

Meetings,  of  congregation,  40;  of 
parishioners    60;    of    clergy,    98. 

Memorial  Chapel,  Alfred  Corning 
Clark,  coner-stone  laid,  205;  con- 
secrated, 211;  sermon  by  Bishop 
Brewster,  211;  Bishop  Potter's 
sermon,  211. 

Memorial  gifts  in  church:  windows, 
67,  133;  Communion  service, 
69;  alms  basin,  136;  chancel 
furniture,  136;  bronze  font,  137; 
Communion  rail,    167;    Commu- 


INDEX 


291 


nion  table,  168;  reredos,  193; 
doors,  210;  Communion  service, 
210. 

Memorial  windows,  133-5. 

Mural  tablets.  Admiral  Farragut, 
89;  Dr.  Montgomery,  111;  Com. 
Eagle,  135;  Bishop  Brooks,  190; 
Dr.  Arthur  Brooks,  194;  G.  W. 
Smith,  201;    A.  C.  Clark,  201. 

Mexican  Mission  Society,  110. 

Missionary  bishops  chosen,  97. 

Missionary    meetings,    31. 

Missionary  Society  organized,  32; 
contributions,  32. 

Mission  chapel,  plans  for  building, 
49;  corner-stone  laid,  49; 
building  occupied,  51;  Hustace 
legacy,  51;  independent  organ- 
ization, 57;  Church  of  the  Rec- 
onciliation, 58;  appeal  for  new 
building,  95;  envelope  system, 
95;  meetings  held  in  chapel,  112; 
kitchen  garden  and  industrial 
school,  112;  offer  of  Mrs.  Za- 
briskie,  113;  enlargement  of 
the  building,  113;  services  held 
in  Twenty-third  Street,  114; 
chapel  reoccupied,  114;  resolu- 
tion of  thanks,  114;  Sunday- 
school  and  Bible  classes,  138; 
teachers,  139;  Church  Society 
formed,  140;  visiting  clergymen 
140;  twenty-fifth  anniversary, 
144;  gifts  to,  145;  Whitsunday, 
154;  asks  for  autonomy,  170; 
theological  students  assisting, 
170;  the  Choir  Guild,  172;  choir 
vested.  172;  necessity  of  a  new 
building,  193;  two  houses  pur- 
chased, 194;  new  building  pro- 
vided, 203;  old  chapel  demolished, 
204;  temporary  quarters,  204; 
societies  in,  224. 

Mission,  organized,  46;  first  service, 
46;     lots  purchased,  49. 

Montgomery,  Henry  E.  Rev.,  atten- 
tive listener,  3;  elected  rector,  19; 
accepts,  26;  organizes  the  work, 
33;  anniversary  sermon,  34; 
characteristics  of  the  man,  29,  43; 
appeals  for  a  new  church,  52;  ac- 
tion postponed,  54;  patriotism  of, 
55,  56,  103;  degree  conferred  upon 
57;  explains  chapel  independence, 
58;  announces  money  for  new 
church  provided,  60;  commends 
the   work,   70;    appeals  for  a  rec- 


tory, 75;  interest  in  Sheltering 
Arms,  81;  Dr.  Peters'  tribute,  84; 
sermon  of,  91;  his  death  and  fu- 
neral services,  98;  pall  bearers,  98; 
resolutions  of  city  clergy,  99; 
Rev.  Mr.  Elliott's  tribute,  99; 
memorial  service,  and  Bishop 
Whipple's  sermon,  100;  resolu- 
tions of  the  vestrj',  100;  charac- 
teristic incident  of,  102;  patriot- 
ism, 103;  home  life,  104;  official 
positions  held  by,  102;  successor 
chosen,  106;  mural  tablet,  111; 
service  of  unveiling,  114;  biog- 
raphy, 246. 

Montgomery,  John  C,  proposes 
chapel  organization,  58. 

Montgomery,  James  E.,  wounded 
in  the  war,  56;  interest  in  the 
bazaar,  83. 

Montgomery,  John  C,  resolution 
by,    58; 

Montgomery,  Memorial  Chapel, 
proposed,  113. 

Montgomery  Memorial  Society, 
110,  224. 

Morrow,  Rev.  Wm.  B.,  85. 

Mothers'    meeting,    185. 

Muhlenberg,  Rev.  Dr.,  friendship  of, 
23;  Fresh  Air  Fund,  155. 

Muhlenberg  Memorial,   21,   22,  47. 

Music  at  the  church,  29,  94,  161, 
172,  189;  at  the  chapel,  172;  of 
the  Sunday-schools,  163. 

Nesbitt,   George   F.,   death   of,   84; 

minute  of  vestry,  84. 
Norwood,  Carlisle,    death    of,    171. 

Ogilvie,  Mrs.  Clinton,  establishes 
library,  217;   Gift  of  portrait,  219. 

Onderdonk,   Bishop,   12. 

Ordinations  in  the  church,  29,  57, 
169. 

Organists,  49,  161,  189,  274. 

Organizations    in    the    parish,    222. 

Owen  memorial  font,  125,  137. 

Parish  house,  required,  122;  pur- 
chased,   123;      societies   in,    124. 

Parish  Leaflet,  226. 

Parish  visitors,  physicians  and 
nurses,  274. 

Parishioners  in  1912,  281-6. 

Parochial  Acts,  271. 

Parochial     Missions     Society,     148. 

Perkins,  Rev.  J.  Newton,  missionary 
at  chapel,  in  charge  of  the  par- 


292 


THE  PARISH  OF  THE  INCARNATION 


ish,  149;  Christmas  festival,  151; 
Easter  festival,  154;  Fresh  Air 
Fund,  156;   resigns,  177. 

Perry,  Miss  H.  C,  201. 

Peters,  Rev.  Dr.  T.  M.,  81,  84. 

Pew  owners  in  1855,  276. 

Philadelphia  clergy,  letter  of,  27. 

Portraits  of  rectors,  219. 

Pott.  Rev.  F.  L.  H.,  148. 

Potter,  Bishop  Horatio,  lays  corner- 
stone, 63;  at  mission  chapel,  144. 

Potter,  Rev.  Henry  C,  consecration 
of,  141;  Institutes  the  rector,  188; 
lays  corner-stone  205;  sermon 
by,  214. 

Prayer  Book,  flexibility  in  use  of,  22. 

Pritchard,  Philip,  superintendent, 
41;  Board  of  Managers,  46;  Sec- 
retary St.  Luke's  Hospital  associa- 
tion, 47;  on  building  committee, 
61. 

Protest  by  the  vestry  78;  result  of, 
SO.  : 

Pulling,  Abraham  C,  death  of,  140; 
memorial  font,  165,  205. 

Ransford,  Rev.  R.  B.,  missioner, 
148. 

Reconciliation,  Church  of  the,  or- 
ganized, 58;  Rev.  Mr.  Chipman 
resigns,  85;  Rev.  Mr.  Morrow 
new  rector,  85;  Rev.  Mr.  Hunt- 
ington rector,  85;  Rev.  Mr. 
Brown  rector,  85;  Rev.  Mr. 
Briggs  rector,  85;  organization 
dissolved,  86;  Rev.  Mr.  Elliott, 
86;  Rev.  Mr.  Egbert,  86;  origin 
of  name,   87;      affection  for,   87. 

Rectors  called,  12,  19,  106,  184,  230. 

Rectory,  proposed,  73;  lot  purchas- 
ed, 73;  appeal  for,  75;  committee 
appointed  to  secure  money,  76; 
report  of  committee,  76;  building 
committee,  77. 

Religious  Corporation  Law,  191. 

Riker,  John  L.,  gift  of  windows,  133, 
134;  death  of,  221. 

Robbins,  Rev.  Howard  C,  elected 
rector,  230;  accepts,  231;  institu- 
tion of,  232;  sermon  anniversary 
Sunday,  233;  biography,  252. 

Sabine,  Rev.  Wm.  T.,  20. 

St.  George's  vestry,  offer  of  declined, 

128. 


St.  Luke's  Hospital,  Easton  endow- 
ed bed,  224. 

St.  Luke's  Hospital  Association,  or- 
ganized, 47. 

Scholarships  of  the  parish,  223-5. 

Sermons,  by  Rev.  Dr.  Taylor,  2; 
Dr.  Huntington,  11;  anniversary 
34,  52,  65,  74;  by  Bishop  of  Ohio. 
69;  by  Dr.  Montgomery,  92,  95; 
on  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary 
by  Dr.  Brooks,  116;  after  the  fire, 
129;  by  Dr.  Huntington,  205; 
Bishop  Potter,  206;  Bishop  Brew- 
ster, 211;  Bishop  Potter,  214;  Dr. 
Grosvenor,  234;  Mr.  Robbins,  234. 

Sextons,  274. 

Sheffield,  William  R.,  superintend- 
ent, 178;    contribution  from,  228; 

Sheltering  Arms,  interest  in.  81, 
82;  Bazaar,  83;  Dr.  Peter's  trib- 
ute, 84. 

Skin  and  Cancer  Hospital,  services 
in,  227. 

Smith,  Charles  H.,  vestryman,  10; 
first  clerk  of  vestry,  12;  delegate  to 
convention,  14. 

Smith,  George  W.,  death  of,  202; 
commemorated,   204,   210. 

Societies  at  the  chapel,  226. 

Statement  to  congregation,  80. 

Stetson.  Francis  Lynde,  resolutions 
offered  by,  123,  229;  comment 
by,  142;  superintendent,  147; 
elected  to  General  Convention, 
171;  reports  to  vestry,  184. 

Subscriptions  to  new  church,  279, 
280. 

Summer  Home,  begun,  156;  com- 
mittee, 157;  house  purchased. 
157;  memorials  at,  158;  swim- 
ming pool,  158;  convalescent 
soldiers'  camp,  198;  flag  presenta- 
tion, 198;  winter  home  for  conva- 
lescents, 217. 

Summer  School,  227. 

Sunday-school  of  the  chapel,  110; 
contributions,  147;  Infant  class. 
147;  Chinese  babies,  148;  chil- 
dren's service,  173;  system  of  in- 
struction, 221. 

Sunday-school  of  the  parish,  early 
superintendents  and  teachers,  41; 
annual  meeting  of  teachers,  54; 
contributions  of,  147;  superinten- 
dents, 273. 


INDEX 


293 


Taylor,  Rev.  Dr.  Thomas  H.,  rec- 
tor, 1;  Sermon  by,  2;  appoints 
committee,  3;  lays  corner-stone, 
49. 

Tiffany,  Rev.  Charles  C,  becomes 
rector,  21. 

Tiffany  Glass  Co.,  135,  190. 

Titanic  diaster,  233. 

Tomkins,  Elliott  Dunham,  42;  or- 
dained, 57. 

Tomkins,  F.  W.,  vestryman,  10; 
pew  committee,  12. 

Tower,  and  spire  to  build,  92. 

Tracy,  Charles  A.,  resolution  by,  40. 

Treasurers  of  the  parish,  273. 

Trinity  Church,  parish  independent 
of  aid  from,  65;  Dr.  Manning's 
comment  thereon,  65. 

Valentine,  Dr.  S.  M.,  submits  plans, 
40;  death  of,  141;  tribute  of  the 
vestry,  141; 

Vestry,  first  chosen,  10;  elects  Rev. 
H.  E.  Montgomery,  19;  elects 
Rev.  Arthur  Brooks,  106;  request 
of  Dr.  Brooks  denied,  131;  elects 
Rev.  William  M.  Grosvenor,  184; 
new  system  for  elections,  191; 
elects  Rev.  H   C.  Robbins. 

Vestrymen,  list  of,  254;  biography 
of,  255-263. 

Wadleigh,   Rev.  H.  R.,  vicar,   198, 

205,  268. 
Wainwright,    Bishop,    elected,    13; 

officiates     at     Incarnation,      17; 

death  of,  17. 


Wardens,  first  elected,  10;  others, 
254 :  biographies.  ;.  . 

War  times,  55,  105. 

Watch  Night,  132. 

Weekly  offertory  introduced,  81. 

Western  Relief  Association  organiz- 
ed, 93. 

Whipple,  Bishop,  visit  of,  31;  ser- 
mon by,  100. 

Whitsunday  at  the  chapel,  154. 

Widdemer,  Rev.  E.  S.,  assistant  and 
missionary,  87;  introduces  envel- 
ope system,  95;  Young  Parish 
Workers,  112;  energetic  worker, 
112;  resignation  of,  137;  his 
ministry,    138. 

Willing,  Rev.  M.  E.,  46,  144. 

Willing  Workers,  110. 

Willis,  Miss,  gift  to  chapel,  145. 

Windows,  in  church  described,  67, 
133. 

Woodruff,  A.  p.,  163. 

Woman's  Auxiliary,  222,  sub-com- 
mittee, 222. 

Workingmen's  Association  organiz- 
ed, 124. 

Young  Men's  Association,  122. 
Young  Parish  Workers,  112. 

Zabriskie,  Andrew  C,  presents  win- 
dows, 165. 
Zabriskie, Mrs.  Sarah  J.,  offer  of,  113, 
Zion  Church  thanked  by  the  vestry, 
131. 


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